LA GUAIRA, Venezuela —A security guard trapped beneath the ruins of a collapsed shopping center in Venezuela was rescued alive on Thursday, more than a week after two powerful earthquakes devastated the country’s northern coast, in a rare survival that has offered a measure of hope amid a disaster that has claimed thousands of lives.
Hernán Alberto Gil, 44, was pulled from the rubble of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in Catia La Mar, La Guaira state, after an intensive multinational rescue operation that lasted about 70 hours. Rescue teams from El Salvador, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Venezuela worked around the clock to reach him through unstable debris.
According to Reuters, rescuers maintained contact with Gil throughout the operation by using specialized search cameras and delivering water and supplies through narrow tubes while carefully excavating two tunnels to avoid triggering further collapses. He was extracted on a stretcher and taken to a hospital, where authorities said he was in stable condition.
Gil survived beneath the collapsed structure after the twin earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela’s northern coast on June 24, causing widespread destruction in La Guaira, the hardest-hit state. Rescue officials said an air pocket within the wreckage likely contributed to his survival beyond the critical 72-hour period commonly associated with earthquake rescues.
The dramatic rescue comes as Venezuela continues to grapple with one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history. Authorities have reported at least 2,295 fatalities and more than 11,000 injuries, while tens of thousands of people remain missing or displaced. Search-and-rescue operations continue despite dangerous aftershocks, unstable buildings, and deteriorating conditions in affected communities.
International emergency response teams have joined local firefighters, volunteers, and humanitarian organizations in the ongoing recovery effort. In recent days, several other survivors, including children and families trapped beneath collapsed buildings, have also been rescued, although officials acknowledge that the chances of finding additional survivors continue to diminish with each passing day.
The disaster response has also drawn scrutiny. Reuters has reported that many civilian volunteers have taken a leading role in rescue efforts amid complaints of inadequate government support, shortages of heavy equipment, and allegations that some security personnel obstructed aid deliveries or looted damaged properties. Venezuelan authorities have denied widespread misconduct but confirmed that several officers are under investigation for alleged theft.
Gil’s rescue has become a powerful symbol of perseverance for rescue crews and families still awaiting news of missing loved ones, underscoring both the extraordinary efforts of international responders and the continuing humanitarian crisis facing Venezuela in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
