In the earthquake-hit port city of La Guaira, Venezuela, 10-year-old Sebastian Corro has become known as "El Topito Venezolano" after joining rescue efforts alongside his grandfather, to help victims of June's deadly twin quakes.

Cristobal Corro, retired civil protection volunteer and Sebastian's grandfather, told Reuters on July 17 his grandson has been helping sift through rubble and assist affected families since the June, pitching in with tasks like carrying bags and water.

Recognized by Mexican rescue brigade Topos Tlaltelolco, which has responded to disasters worldwide, the boy earned the nickname "El Topito" from rescuers impressed by his initiative.

Sebastian now assists at an aid point alongside Scientology Volunteers, where one member said despite his young age Corro takes his role as a rescuer very seriously. Corro dreams of one day joining the Marine Firefighters of La Guaira.

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes which hit Venezuela in June 24, killed about 5,000 people, according to the government, though experts including the United States Geological Survey have predicted a likelihood of a final death toll of nearly double that figure.

The disaster was especially devastating in La Guaira state, home to the country's main airport, where a major port and hundreds of high-rise residential buildings collapsed either fully or partially.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

REPEAT: PERSONAL: Venezuelan 10-year-old becomes rescue volunteer in post-quake rubble

VIDEO SHOWS: VARIOUS OF LA GUAIRA RESCUE BRIGADES VOLUNTEER, SEBASTIAN CORRO WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, RETIREE AND CIVIL PROTECTION VOLUNTEER, CRISTOBAL CORRO, WALKING THROUGH AREAS AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE / SOUNDBITES FROM CRISTOBAL CORRO, RESCUERS, VOLUNTEERS AND SEBASTIAN CORRO

EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: REPEATING THIS STORY THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON JULY 20, 2026 WITHOUT ANY CHANGES TO VIDEO AND SCRIPT.

SHOWS: SHOWS: LA GUAIRA, VENEZUELA (JULY 17, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF LA GUAIRA RESCUE BRIGADES VOLUNTEER, SEBASTIAN CORRO (NICKNAMED VENEZUELAN “TOPITO”, IN REFERENCE TO MEXICAN RESCUE TEAM TOPOS) WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, RETIREE AND CIVIL PROTECTION VOLUNTEER, CRISTOBAL CORRO, WALKING THROUGH AREAS AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE

2. SEBASTIAN CORRO HOLDING HIS GRANDFATHER’S HAND

3. SEBASTIAN CORRO WITH HIS GRANDFATHER LOOKING AT COLLAPSED BUILDING

4. SEBASTIAN CORRO, “EL TOPITO DE VENEZUELA,” SITTING DOING A "V" SIGN WITH HIS HANDS

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RESCUE BRIGADES VOLUNTEER, THE “TOPITO”, SEBASTIAN CORRO, SAYING:

" To the rescue.

REPORTER ASKING: Rescuing? You are a rescuer?

CORRO: Yes.

REPORTER ASKING: How many people have you rescued?

CORRO: For now, no one.

REPORTER ASKING: And animals?

CORRO: Two.

REPORTER ASKING: What inspired you to become a rescuer?

CORRO: What they (rescuers) do.

REPORTER ASKING: You like what they do?

CORRO: Yes.

REPORTER ASKING: And with what happened here in Venezuela, in La Guaira, the quake, did you help a lot of people?

CORRO: Yes.

REPORTER ASKING: What do you want to do now, as an adult?

GRANDFATHER WHISPERING: A firefighter.

CORRO: A firefighter.

6. VARIOUS OF CORRO ASSISTING PEOPLE AT AN AID POINT RUN BY SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEERS, CIVIL PROTECTION AND MEXICO’S TOPOS (Scientology Volunteers are a global social assistance programme created by the Church of Scientology to intervene in natural disaster zones and humanitarian emergencies)

7. CORRO WITH SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MEMBERS

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) RETIREE, CIVIL PROTECTION VOLUNTEER AND GRANDFATHER OF EL TOPITO VENEZOLANO, CRISTOBAL CORRO, SAYING:

"And well we were passing by then the guys (the rescuers) called us and saw him in uniform so from there we stayed, as the guys say, we stayed stuck here. They have treated us very well, very well, very well, well he (points to Martin Murillo of Mexican Topos) signed his helmet, he signed it and that. And he baptised him as ‘El Topito de Venezuela.’"

9. VARIOUS OF SEBASTIAN CORRO WITH HIS GRANDFATHER CRISTOBAL CORRO AND LOS MEXICO’S TOPOS RESCUER, MARTIN MURILLO (ED's note: "Los Topos" is a Mexican civil-society rescue group that responds to disaster sites around the world)

10. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICO’S TOPOS RESCUER, MARTIN MURILLO, SAYING:

"It is very important that we rescue and see the values or in this case children with values and principles who have the initiative and intention to help their community. As he has mentioned he has been helping to remove debris, not very deep because it is very risky for him, but somehow taking the bucket, taking out water, he also helped to rescue some little animals and for us that is very important, to support youth values, in this case children's values. And well, we took it upon ourselves to name him ‘El Topito,’ the first child ‘topo’ or Topo Kid here in Venezuela."

11. SEBASTIAN CORRO GREETING VOLUNTEERS

12. SEBASTIAN CORRO SITTING ON CHAIR

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SCIENTOLOGY VOLUNTEER MEMBER, MARCO PINTO, SAYING:

"At the young age he is, he really takes his role as a rescuer very seriously, it never stops being impressive. He walks and tells you: look, put on the helmet because there is a building, something could fall from there, let us do this… He does not get discouraged, he is just one more, we do not have him here as the little boy who accompanies us, he really gets into the role and performs his duties."

14. VARIOUS OF SEBASTIAN CORRO "EL TOPITO VENEZOLANO", WITH HIS GRANDFATHER, CRISTOBAL CORRO, WALKING THROUGH AREAS AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE

16. VARIOUS OF SEBASTIÁN CORRO DRINKING WATER WITH HIS GRANDFATHER

17. SEBASTIAN CORRO WITH HIS GRANDFATHER CRISTOBAL CORRO WALKING THROUGH AREAS AFFECTED BY THE EARTHQUAKE