Rescuers in Venezuela Search Rubble After Strongest Earthquake in Over a Century

Rescue teams in Venezuela are working to reach people trapped under rubble following the country's strongest earthquake in more than a century. " The first 48 to 72 hours after a major quake are widely viewed as the most critical time for locating survivors.

Survival odds decline sharply after that point without access to water.

Some teams follow a "rule of fours," which estimates that a trapped person can survive roughly 4 minutes without air, 4 days without water, and 4 weeks without food. These estimates are not fixed, and past earthquakes have shown longer survival times are possible. After the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, people were rescued alive as late as 10 days after the event.