Kathmandu. A man buried for eight days under the debris of a collapsed building following two powerful and devastating earthquakes in Venezuela has been rescued alive. Rescuers have termed it a ‘miraculous rescue’. Hernan Alberto Gil Flores, around 40 years old, was found trapped under approximately 29 feet of deep rubble after a shopping mall parking building collapsed in La Guaira. He was working as a security guard at the shopping mall. Local and international rescue teams successfully pulled him out safely after a highly cautious rescue operation that lasted for about 70 hours. According to th
Luis Rodriguez, an emergency health worker with the Venezuelan Red Cross involved in the rescue, stated that Gil’s condition was stable when he was placed in the ambulance. According to him, Gil was fully conscious while being taken to the hospital, was communicating with the rescue team, and all his vital signs were normal. Gil’s wife, Gusvimar Gonzalez, said she was in immense pain not knowing her husband’s condition for eight days. Upon receiving the news that he was alive, she expressed that a ray of hope had appeared, adding that her husband fought courageously. Her children are also waiting for him at home.
The rescue team first spotted Gil on Wednesday through a search camera. In the released footage, he was seen waving his fingers through a small gap in the thick concrete and rubble to signal that he was alive. During the rescue operation, the team provided him with water, food, medicine, and essential body fluids through pipes and syringes. In another video released on Thursday, his head and shoulders were seen emerging from the rubble, with a mask on his face. The Chilean fire department stated that the rescue operation was extremely complex due to the risk of further building collapse. Sebastian Mocorquer, a member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team, said that a live rescue more than seven days after an earthquake is generally considered a miracle. According to him, the first 72 hours after an earthquake are considered the most critical window for live rescues.
Rescuers had received information since Sunday that someone might be alive under the debris. Following this, the use of radar, sound detection equipment, and other technologies confirmed that Gil was alive. Since then, rescue experts from about half a dozen countries worked to create a safe passageway to pull him out. In a conversation with a rescuer, Gil had mentioned that he was not seriously injured but felt very uncomfortable being trapped under the stones. The rescue operation became even more difficult as the rescue tunnel collapsed repeatedly. Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez called Gil’s successful rescue a triumph of life and praised the dedication of national and international rescuers.
The city of La Guaira, where Gil was rescued, is one of the areas worst affected by the earthquake. Rescue operations are still ongoing there. Local residents and rescuers are removing debris using pickaxes, shovels, and bare hands, amid reports of a shortage of fuel and other essential resources. According to Jorge Rodriguez, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, at least 2,295 deaths have been confirmed in the earthquake. However, it is estimated that the actual death toll could be much higher.
FACEBOOK COMMENTS