Desperate bid to free man trapped for eight days in Venezuela rubble
Translated from Swedish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Hundreds of rescue workers are desperately trying to free a man trapped for eight days in rubble in Venezuela following a powerful earthquake.
- The man, identified as Hernรกn Gil, is buried under seven collapsed floors in Catia La Mar.
- Nearly 2,300 people have been confirmed dead, with hopes of finding more survivors diminishing as international rescue teams begin to conclude their missions.
Rescue efforts are underway in Venezuela for Hernรกn Gil, a security guard who has been trapped for eight days beneath the rubble of a collapsed building in Catia La Mar. Hundreds of rescue workers are engaged in a complex operation to reach him, navigating the precarious situation of multiple leaning structures surrounding the site.
It is a very complex rescue. Several buildings are leaning against the house we are trying to get him out of.
Gil was working in his booth when the first earthquake struck Venezuela last Wednesday. His wife, Gusbimar Gonzรกlez, has been waiting outside, reporting that rescue teams have managed to provide her husband with water. She described the ongoing effort as a "miracle" and expressed gratitude for the assistance.
Meanwhile, the death toll from the earthquakes, the strongest in over a century for Venezuela, has risen to nearly 2,300 confirmed fatalities as of Wednesday evening. Tens of thousands remain unaccounted for. The window for finding survivors is rapidly closing, with international rescue teams having saved only twelve people alive over the past six days, according to the UN's crisis coordination team.
It is a miracle, that my husband is alive โ and that so many are helping in the fight to save him.
In heavily affected areas like La Guaira, many collapsed buildings are now marked with the letter 'D' for deceased, indicating that searches have been completed without finding signs of life. Reflecting the diminishing chances, the Dutch rescue team has announced the conclusion of its mission in Venezuela. The article also mentions the rescue of a two-year-old boy in La Guaira six days after the quake, who was found in shock.
I pray to God to give me strength. He is only two years old and I am not a mother.
Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.