A woman and her 18-day-old infant who survived for 32 hours under debris have been hailed as miraculous rescues following a double earthquake in Venezuela. Dayana Patino shielded her newborn, Juan David Trujillo, as their eighth-floor apartment in La Guaira collapsed during the tremors.
Dayana managed to keep her baby alive for over a day by monitoring his breathing and conserving her energy to call out only when she heard sounds above. Rescue teams extracted little Juan David first, mostly unscathed, and then rescued Dayana about 90 minutes later, with injuries to her legs but grateful that her son kept her motivated and alert.
The death toll in Venezuela from the earthquakes has climbed to 1,450, with more than 3,150 individuals injured. The number of missing persons stands at over 46,600 due to widespread building collapses. The United Nations estimates economic losses between $4.7 billion and $8.7 billion, equivalent to 4% to 8% of Venezuela’s GDP.
Over 12,700 people have been displaced, and international search-and-rescue teams from various countries are aiding in the recovery efforts. Among the numerous heartwarming stories is that of Dayana and Juan, who were trapped under rubble but miraculously rescued. Their survival, along with other remarkable rescues, has brought hope amid the devastating aftermath of the earthquakes.
