Original article: ¡Vive! Joven venezolano es rescatado tras 106 horas bajo los escombros del terremoto

Miraculous Rescue: Venezuelan Youth Survives 106 Hours Beneath Earthquake Rubble

In the midst of the tragedy that struck Venezuela, a miracle occurred on Monday when national and international rescue teams successfully brought 21-year-old Aarón Levi Cantillo to safety after he spent 106 hours trapped under rubble in the La Guaira state. The rescue operation, which lasted 43 uninterrupted hours, was completed in the Tanaguarenas sector on the coastal strip of Caraballeda, an area heavily devastated by the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that shook the Caribbean nation last Wednesday, June 24.

The humanitarian rescue became a significant milestone amid the emergency, as Aarón managed to survive under extreme conditions following the collapse of two buildings housing 196 families. Emergency teams raced against time to clear 17 meters of concrete debris, executing a maneuver that required surgical precision to avoid causing further collapses that could endanger his life.

According to TeleSUR, the National Risk Management System implemented supports initiated by Civil Protection officials from the states of Trujillo, Mérida, and Táchira. International specialists from El Salvador and the renowned Mexican Topos squad contributed their expertise in urban rescues, which proved crucial.

During the five days of confinement, Aarón remained resilient, supported from the outside by a Mexican rescuer known as Tarzan, who provided constant encouragement and helped him combat despair.

In the disaster zone, the efforts of paramedic Germán, a member of Civil Protection Trujillo and a survivor of the devastating natural disaster on December 15, 1999, stood out. That event involved landslides, floods, and avalanches that resulted in thousands of deaths and extensive damage along Venezuela’s central coast. The official, who boasts 17 years of service, continuously communicated with Aarón to keep him aware during the complex extraction process, avoiding hydraulic demolition to protect his life.

After finally being rescued, Aarón was transported to a field hospital for medical attention, where, with a trembling voice, he expressed gratitude to each of the rescuers who tirelessly worked to keep him alive.

Meanwhile, the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, who shared the rescue video on social media, reaffirmed that the search for survivors will continue indefinitely with the deployment of specialized canine units, while efforts persist tirelessly in the most affected areas, where dozens of buildings have suffered severe damage or completely collapsed.

Firefighters, civil protection forces, and specialized teams are working against the clock to find possible survivors amid the debris of destroyed homes and infrastructure. The Bolivarian Government has provided assistance to 73,937 families, distributing 7.225 million kilograms of food and over 20,000 food packages in the impacted areas, in an assistance operation aimed at alleviating the pain and uncertainty faced by thousands of Venezuelans who have lost everything.

The images of the young man emerging alive from the debris have become a symbol of hope amid one of the worst natural disasters recorded in the recent history of the Latin American nation.

Death Toll Rises to 1,450

The official toll presented on Sunday by the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Jorge Rodríguez, increased the number of deaths caused by the earthquakes to 1,450. Authorities have recorded a total of 3,150 injured individuals and 12,721 displaced families across the seven federal entities impacted by the quakes.

Regarding material damage, the lawmaker detailed that 764 buildings collapsed, of which 189 experienced total collapse and 585 showed partial damage.

The consolidated report indicates a total of 2,501 damaged infrastructures, including 38 hospitals—already in the process of repair—44 shopping centers, and 1,635 structures of various types, including bridges and roads.