By Elsie Kamsiyochi
A remarkable story of survival has emerged from the devastation left by Venezuela’s catastrophic twin earthquakes, as rescuers successfully pulled a security guard alive from the rubble of a collapsed shopping mall nearly eight days after disaster struck the country’s northern coast.
The survivor, 44-year-old Hernan Alberto Gil, had been trapped beneath the remains of the nine-story Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in the state of La Guaira, where he worked as a security guard. Against overwhelming odds, he remained alive for more than a week while rescue teams from several countries worked around the clock to reach him.
The complex rescue operation officially began on Monday after rescuers confirmed Gil was still alive beneath the debris. Teams from El Salvador and Chile led the effort, supported by specialists from the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. Working under extremely dangerous conditions, rescuers faced unstable concrete, twisted steel, and the constant threat of additional structural collapses.
Throughout the operation, emergency crews managed to keep Gil alive by delivering water and hydration through specially inserted tubes. However, reaching him proved incredibly difficult. Engineers and rescue workers had to carefully dig two separate tunnels because the wreckage was too unstable for a direct approach. Every movement required caution, with rescuers balancing speed against the risk of causing another collapse.
After nearly 70 continuous hours of digging, cutting, and clearing debris, the international rescue team finally reached Gil on Thursday morning. He was carefully lifted from the rubble on a stretcher as applause and emotional cheers erupted from rescue workers, volunteers, journalists, and nearby residents who had followed the dramatic operation for days.
Despite spending almost eight days trapped underground, medical officials reported that Gil was in surprisingly good condition. He was immediately transported by ambulance to receive further medical evaluation and treatment.
El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, who had provided regular updates throughout the rescue mission, praised the multinational effort, describing it as an example of international solidarity during one of Venezuela’s darkest moments. He credited every participating rescue team for working tirelessly to stabilize the dangerous structure, remove massive amounts of debris, and create a safe path to reach the trapped survivor.
Gil’s rescue has become a rare symbol of hope amid one of the country’s worst natural disasters in modern history.
The two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck less than one minute apart almost eight days earlier, devastating much of Venezuela’s northern coastline. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, apartment buildings collapsed, roads cracked apart, and critical infrastructure suffered extensive damage.
According to official government figures, at least 2,295 people have died, while tens of thousands remain displaced. Although the number of missing persons has gradually declined as families locate loved ones, unofficial tracking lists still contain roughly 38,600 names, highlighting the enormous scale of the humanitarian crisis.
Communications remain severely disrupted in La Guaira, the hardest-hit state located less than an hour from Caracas. Intermittent cellphone service has complicated rescue operations and made it difficult for separated families to reconnect.
International humanitarian organizations continue to warn that the true death toll could rise significantly. Experts from the United States Geological Survey have estimated that fatalities could eventually exceed 10,000, while the United Nations has begun procuring thousands of body bags as emergency recovery efforts continue.
One of the most striking aspects of the disaster has been the extraordinary role played by ordinary Venezuelans.
Although soldiers and police have been deployed throughout affected areas, much of the rescue work has been carried out by volunteers. Families, neighbors, firefighters, medical students, teachers, veterinarians, construction workers, and countless civilians have spent days digging through mountains of concrete using little more than shovels, pickaxes, and even their bare hands.
Foreign rescue specialists from more than a dozen countries have worked alongside these volunteers, searching collapsed buildings for survivors despite shortages of heavy machinery needed to move massive concrete slabs.
In the immediate aftermath of the earthquakes, thousands of civilians transported food, water, medicine, and emergency supplies into devastated communities using motorcycles and private vehicles. Volunteers also established temporary shelters for displaced families, creating their own registration systems and coordinating relief efforts where official resources were stretched thin.
However, the disaster response has not been without controversy. Social media has circulated videos allegedly showing some security personnel removing valuables from damaged buildings. While Reuters could not independently verify those videos, Venezuela’s Interior Ministry announced that four crime scene police officers had been arrested and dismissed after being accused of stealing financial assets recovered from the ruins.
As recovery operations continue, some international rescue teams, including units from Germany and Switzerland, have completed their missions and returned home. Nevertheless, rescue specialists from many other countries remain on the ground, continuing the search for survivors and assisting local authorities.
For many Venezuelans, Hernan Alberto Gil’s rescue represents more than the survival of one man. It has become a powerful reminder that even after days of despair, hope can still be found beneath the rubble. His extraordinary endurance, combined with the determination of hundreds of rescuers and volunteers, stands as one of the most inspiring moments to emerge from a tragedy that has forever changed the lives of thousands across Venezuela.
Source Reuters
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