Security guard rescued alive after 8 days under rubble in Venezuela earthquake

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that struck Venezuela in succession on June 24 caused massive destruction in La Guaira state. Hernan Alberto Gil Flores, a 44-year-old security guard who was trapped in the rubble of a shopping center parking lot that collapsed in the region, was rescued alive on the 8th day as a result of meticulous work by Chilean Fire Department teams that lasted for days.

Flores was extracted from a depth of approximately 9 meters under the rubble. In footage of the rescue, it was seen that the teams made visual contact with Flores for the first time and that he extended his fingers through a narrow gap between thick concrete blocks and debris. The Chilean Fire Department stated that they provided water, food, and medicine to Flores throughout the operation, and that liquids were administered with the help of hoses and syringes.

Flores' wife, Usbimar Gonzales, expressed her feelings about the miraculous rescue as follows: "When I learned he was alive, I saw a ray of hope. He held on like a hero." Gonzales said that their children were also waiting for their father at home.

Sebastian Mocorquer from the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team stated that rescues carried out seven days after an earthquake can be considered an "extraordinary situation." According to experts, the critical "golden time" for finding survivors under rubble is generally accepted as the first three days; after this period, the probability of survival without a water source drops rapidly.

While search and rescue efforts continue uninterrupted in Venezuela following the earthquakes, teams from different countries around the world are also supporting the operations.

News Source : 12punto