Miracle in Venezuela: Security guard rescued alive after 8 days under rubble; his own little cabin saved his life | Today’s news
A 43-year-old security guard was pulled alive from the rubble of a collapsed shopping mall in Venezuela on Thursday (2 July), marking a rare moment of hope eight days after twin earthquakes ravaged the country and killed more than 2,200 people.
Hernán Alberto Gil Flores was rescued from the basement of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in the coastal state of La Guaira after spending more than a week trapped under the rubble.
The dramatic rescue concluded a complex operation that lasted over 100 hours after EMS crews first made contact with him at the weekend.
Rescuers overcome rain, aftershocks
Rescue teams worked around the clock through torrential rain, repeated tremors and an unstable concrete structure to reach Gil Flores, who had been trapped since the June 24 earthquake.
Specialists from Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and El Salvador participated in the operation.
As paramedics carried Gil Flores on a stretcher to an ambulance, paramedics from several countries applauded and celebrated the successful operation.
“We never wanted to leave him”
Costa Rican Red Cross paramedic Minyar Collado said Gil Flores feared he would not survive.
“When we found him, he asked us not to tell his wife he was alive in case he didn’t make it,” Collado said.
“But we never left him here.
He survived inside the security cabin
Gil Flores, who was working as a night shift guard, was in his small security cabin when the first strong earthquake struck.
Even as the surrounding building collapsed, the cabin remained largely intact, protecting him from the falling debris and creating an air pocket to keep him alive.
Rescuers fed him water and liquid nutrients through a narrow shaft and tunneled toward him, allowing him to survive well beyond the typical 48- to 72-hour window during which earthquake survivors are most often found alive.
Wife remembers “rays of light”
Gil Flores’ wife, Gusbimar González, said she almost gave up hope before they learned that rescuers had made contact with her husband.
“When I found out he was alive, I saw a ray of light in the darkness,” she said.
The couple has two children aged 8 and 10.
International rescue efforts
A specialized Costa Rican Red Cross team detected signs of life for the first time on Sunday using search equipment.
Rescuers also used a telescopic camera to maintain communication with Gil Flores throughout the operation.
Seasoned Chilean firefighter María Paz Campos remained in constant contact with him in the final hours, guiding him through the rescue and instructing him to put on goggles as the debris continued to fall.
Earthquakes leave thousands dead
The rescue came after two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern Venezuela on June 24, causing widespread destruction.
The twin shocks damaged or destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, killed more than 2,200 people and injured more than 11,000, with La Guaira among the worst affected regions.
Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez praised the multinational rescue effortshe said it demonstrated the “greatness of humanity” as countries united to save lives.
Read also | Venezuela earthquake horror: Naked volunteers race to save lives
