Experts say recovery for earthquake survivors will likely be a lifelong endeavour, given the physical and mental toll of the June 24 tragedy.

A line of prosthetic limbs on display in the Ortoprotecnica clinic in Caracas, Venezuela [Catherine Ellis/Al Jazeera]

A line of prosthetic limbs on display in the Ortoprotecnica clinic in Caracas, Venezuela [Catherine Ellis/Al Jazeera]

Ricardo Contreras’s new leg rests on a wooden countertop.

More than four months after twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, the 24-year-old is still recovering from his injuries.

When he was trapped beneath the rubble on the night of June 24, he waited hours to be rescued. His left leg had been pinned beneath a fallen door frame, limiting its blood circulation. It had to be amputated.

“One of the biggest achievements is that we survived,” Ricardo said, glancing towards his 16-year-old brother, Andres Contreras. “At first, when I found out Andres was well, I didn’t care about my leg too much.…