A three-year-old boy named Klieber Morán was pulled alive from the rubble of a collapsed building in Venezuela six days after twin earthquakes struck the country. The rescue, carried out by a Jordanian team in La Guaira state, was hailed as a miracle by officials and offered a rare moment of hope amid a catastrophe that has killed nearly 2,000 people. But it also raises a critical question: how can anyone survive for so long under debris, and why are rescues like this so uncommon?
The earthquakes that hit Venezuela on 24 June 2026 were devastating. The first, of magnitude 7.2, was followed less than a minute later by a second of magnitude 7.5. Together, they toppled buildings across the region, trapping thousands. As of 30 June, the official death toll stood at 1,943, with more than 10,000 injured and tens of thousands unaccounted for. NASA’s satellite analysis estimated that 58,870 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The UN warned that tens of thousands of people urgently needed food and shelter, and UNICEF said 680,000 children required humanitarian assistance.
“Why survivors like Klieber Morán are found days after a quake, and what it means for UK readers.”
Klieber’s rescue came well after what disaster experts call the “golden 72-hour window” – the period immediately after a quake when trapped victims have the highest chance of being found alive. After three days, survival rates drop sharply due to dehydration, crush injuries, and exposure. Yet there are documented cases of people surviving for a week or longer, often because they had access to air pockets, water, or were protected by structural voids. Klieber was found in the Los Corales Garden building in La Guaira state, and his vital signs were reportedly good after he was taken to a hospital in Caracas.
For UK readers, understanding these rescue dynamics matters for several reasons. British humanitarian agencies, including the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) and UNICEF, are involved in the Venezuela response. The UNHCR requested $15 million to support 30,000 people for six months. UK travellers to earthquake-prone regions – such as the Caribbean, Central America, or the Mediterranean – may benefit from knowing how search-and-rescue operations work and what survival factors are key. Moreover, the UK’s own disaster preparedness efforts can learn from international responses like the Jordanian team’s success.
Q: How long can people survive trapped under rubble after an earthquake? Survival beyond 72 hours is possible but rare. Factors like access to water, air pockets, mild temperatures, and the absence of fatal injuries can extend survival to five, seven, or even ten days. The record for an earthquake rescue is 27 days, but most survivors are found within the first three days.
Q: What is the “golden 72-hour window” in earthquake rescues? It is the first three days after a quake when the chances of finding live victims are highest. After this period, the probability of survival drops dramatically because of dehydration, hypothermia, crush syndrome, and internal injuries. Rescue teams prioritise this window, but as the Venezuela case shows, it is not absolute.
Q: Why are rescues after six days so rare? The human body can typically survive only three days without water, but trapped victims may have access to moisture from condensation, rainwater, or bodily fluids. Additionally, debris often creates small air pockets. However, crush injuries can cause kidney failure, and infections set in quickly. The odds diminish rapidly, which is why each late rescue is considered extraordinary.
What happens next in Venezuela is uncertain. The UN and WHO have warned of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases like measles and diphtheria due to low vaccination coverage and overcrowded shelters. The government has faced criticism for its response, with reports of food distribution turning violent. International rescue teams continue to search, but focus is shifting to humanitarian aid, including the shipment of 47 metric tons of supplies from UNICEF. The death toll is expected to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.