Carlos Colmenares, a 12-year-old boy, endured over 120 hours trapped beneath the debris of a nine-story building in Macuto, La Guaira, following the catastrophic earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026. His gripping account, shared on Thursday by Globovisión with footage from Actualidad RT, reveals the astonishing clarity with which a child faced death alone.
The twin earthquakes—measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, separated by a mere 39 seconds—reduced his home to ruins. Carlos acted in the blink of an eye.
"Everything started shaking violently," the young survivor recounted. "I saw the lights swaying, everything was trembling fiercely. I thought as quickly as I could and hid under a table," he described. It was this table that prevented the falling debris from crushing his face.
Trapped in complete darkness, Carlos used his phone's flashlight to memorize his surroundings before the battery died.
"I grabbed my phone, turned on the flashlight, and scanned everywhere around me. That way, when the battery ran out, I had a mental map. Here’s the wall, there’s the furniture, and over there is the fridge," he explained.
For five days, Carlos had barely enough space to shift his body. To avoid muscle stiffness, he alternated between two positions and periodically moved his legs.
"That way, my body wouldn't go numb or shut down," he said. His sole source of sustenance was a jar of hot sauce he found nearby: "The only thing I could have to quench my thirst was a jar of hot sauce."
The absolute darkness was one of the hardest challenges. "When I opened my eyes, it was the same as when they were closed. It was like being blind, which was maddening, but I managed to stay calm and conserve energy," the boy recalled.
As Carlos held on beneath the rubble, his father searched frantically with picks and shovels, uncovering only the lifeless bodies of neighbors.
The rescue came when the boy was at his breaking point: "I had been shouting for so long; my voice was tired, and I was ready to give up. But then a worker heard me, and that's when they identified me and were able to pull me out."
The operation was conducted by the USAR ECU-01 team from the Quito Fire Department, comprising 47 Ecuadorian specialists, in collaboration with rescue teams from the Dominican Republic and Venezuelan personnel.
They used specialized endoscopic cameras to locate him before providing oxygen and hydration through tubes. Carlos was the sole survivor from his building.
The boy's rescue occurred amidst Venezuela’s worst seismic disaster since 1900.
The latest figures, updated as of Thursday, report more than 2,295 fatalities, 11,267 injuries, and up to 68,000 missing people, with nearly 59,000 buildings damaged or destroyed, according to NASA estimates. Among the missing are at least 32 Cubans, and on June 29, a Cuban family of six was found dead in La Guaira.
Commander Esteban Cárdenas Varela of the Quito Fire Department encapsulated the mission's spirit with a widely shared statement: "Here, we don’t see flags; we are just trying to save lives. We don’t know about flags or borders!"
Key Facts About the Venezuela Earthquake Tragedy
What was the magnitude of the earthquake that hit Venezuela in 2026?
The earthquake consisted of two seismic events with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just 39 seconds apart.
How many people were affected by the earthquake in Venezuela?
The earthquake resulted in over 2,295 deaths, 11,267 injuries, and approximately 68,000 missing individuals, with around 59,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.
Who led the rescue operation for Carlos Colmenares?
The rescue operation was led by the USAR ECU-01 team from the Quito Fire Department, with assistance from rescue teams from the Dominican Republic and local Venezuelan personnel.