Against All Odds: 21-Year-Old Rescued After 106 Hours Beneath Venezuela Quake Rubble

Last Updated:June 29, 2026, 20:37 IST

The twin earthquakes - a magnitude 7.2 quake followed 39 seconds later by a stronger 7.5 magnitude tremor - caused widespread destruction across parts of Venezuela.

While hopes to find survivors fade after powerful twin earthquakes struck Venezuela four days ago, a 21-year-old man has been rescued after being trapped for 106 hours.

In a post on X, El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said: “After intense hours of joint work, Aaron Levi Cantillo Vargas, 21 years old, has been rescued alive from the OPP 25 building, in the Tanaguarena sector, Caraballeda parish, state of La Guaira."

Sharing a video of the operation, Bukele said that the rescue mission was conducted by Venezuela, Mexico, and El Salvador.

The 21-year-old is now receiving specialised medical attention, the President said, adding that the rescuers will “continue working with the hope of being able to save more lives".

The twin earthquakes – a magnitude 7.2 quake followed 39 seconds later by a stronger 7.5 magnitude tremor – caused widespread destruction across parts of Venezuela, flattening buildings, damaging roads and critical infrastructure, and displacing thousands of people.

International relief operations are continuing as authorities work to provide emergency shelter, food, and medical assistance to affected communities.

The death toll from the Venezuela earthquakes has climbed to 1,430, while more than 68,000 people are still reported as missing.

People across affected regions have been using shovels, ropes, heavy machinery, and even bare hands to search for trapped relatives. An 11-year-old boy was rescued alive from debris in Caraballeda, north of Caracas, three days after the quakes.

The US State Department has also shared a video of rescuing an infant trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building.

Interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said 24 countries had sent aid, including hundreds of tonnes of supplies, search-and-rescue teams with trained dogs, and thousands of personnel to assist overwhelmed local authorities.

News world Against All Odds: 21-Year-Old Rescued After 106 Hours Beneath Venezuela Quake Rubble

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