Venezuela earthquake survivor urges rescuers to keep searching

Hernán Gil, a survivor pulled from earthquake rubble in Venezuela after eight days, pleaded with rescuers on Saturday to persist in their search for others trapped by the devastating quakes.

"To the rescuers who are doing such great work, do not give up... keep searching, because I know there are people who, truly, at this hour, may need your help," Gil said in an interview with state channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV). Gil, hospitalized in Caracas, was rescued Thursday following a nearly 72-hour operation. He had been buried for eight days under the debris of a collapsed building in the coastal state of La Guaira, the area hardest hit by the June 24 earthquakes.

The 43-year-old, whose rescue garnered global media attention, also encouraged families of those still missing to "maintain hope." During his time trapped, Gil relied on his faith and thoughts of his family. Doctors reported he suffered a left clavicle dislocation, atelectasis, a scalp hematoma, and sinusitis, but was otherwise healthy.

Gil was trapped in the guardhouse of a building where he had worked for 18 months. Rescue efforts began Monday, with a team of 100 rescuers from various countries maintaining communication, providing hydration, and administering medication. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes have officially claimed at least 2,954 lives and injured 16,592, with 16,309 people displaced. As the likelihood of finding survivors diminishes, some international rescue teams have begun to leave Venezuela.