A mother rescued from the wreckage of her collapsed home in Venezuela has described how her newborn son, just 18 days old, became her reason for survival. Dayana Patino was trapped for hours with her infant, Juan David, after twin earthquakes devastated the country.

The earthquakes, which struck on Wednesday, have killed at least 1,450 people and left tens of thousands missing, according to interim government figures. The scale of the disaster has been described by the country's interim president as the most brutal natural catastrophe in Venezuela's history. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, but diminishing hopes remain for finding further survivors.

Speaking from a clinic in the capital, Caracas, on Sunday, Ms. Patino recounted the terrifying experience of being buried underground. She explained that her son’s presence gave her the motivation to remain awake and alert. "As long as he was alive, I was going to be alive," she told the BBC. She described how she would check on him frequently, touching his nose to ensure he was still breathing.

Ms. Patino was in her eighth-floor apartment in La Guaira when the earthquakes hit. She was doing the washing up and initially thought it was a minor tremor. She immediately rushed to hold her son. The force of the quake threw her, and she described feeling like she was "flying" before falling into a "pit" where she remained trapped, crushed against furniture.

Despite being unable to move due to her left leg being trapped and her temple pressed against a rock, Ms. Patino managed to maintain a degree of calm. She decided to conserve her energy, only screaming when she thought she heard rescuers. She found a Bible beneath her, which she described as the beginning of her survival journey. In the darkness, she also noticed a small light, which she likened to the moon.

Her rescue came after she heard her brother calling her name. Recognizing this as her opportunity, she "cried out with all my might." Her brother found her, promising not to leave until she was free. A delicate rescue operation ensued, and both mother and baby were pulled from the rubble on Thursday night. Ms. Patino sustained injuries to both legs, while Juan David suffered only minor injuries.

Ms. Patino's husband, Gerson, had just returned home and parked his car when the earthquakes struck. He managed to escape the immediate collapse of their building. The family's home was completely destroyed by the seismic activity.

The footage of Juan David's rescue has circulated widely, with the infant becoming an emblem of hope amidst the widespread devastation in Venezuela. The country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the earthquakes, with many still unaccounted for and extensive damage reported across affected regions.