In the catastrophic twin earthquake that hit Venezuela on the night of 24 June, a man named Hernán Gil survived eight days buried under 140 tonnes of rubble.
Emergency responders first located him on the morning of 25 June, 36 hours after the quake. The rescue operation, which involved teams from eight nations—including Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal and the United States—ran for more than 100 hours by the time his body was freed.
According to officials, the collapse of a building in the city of Maracaibo produced a labyrinth of debris that made search operations especially difficult.
The rescue itself required two people cutting through a concrete wall 2 metres wide and 4 metres tall, while a third worker removed the heavy rubble on top.
When the firefighters finally touched the survivor, the man could answer: “¡Estoy vivo.” His first words to the rescuer were “Chábola, El 2000.” It is a story of hope that stands out amid a death toll that is approaching 2,300 people and many thousands missing.
The operation reminded observers that teamwork is essential after a natural disaster. In a statement, Reuters said that a joint venture proved the resilience of international humanitarian efforts.
