In a rare moment of hope amid devastation, rescue workers in northern Venezuela pulled security guard Hernan Alberto Gil Flores alive from the ruins of a collapsed shopping centre, eight days after twin earthquakes ravaged the region.
The powerful quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck on June 24, killing more than 2,595 people and leaving thousands missing. Gil Flores, 43, survived by sheer luck as his small security cabin remained intact under nearly 140 tonnes of rubble.
International rescue teams from Costa Rica, Chile, Portugal, Mexico, El Salvador and the United States worked tirelessly for over 100 hours to free him. Costa Rican responders first detected faint signs of life, while Chilean firefighters led the complex extraction. Crews kept him calm and hydrated by passing liquid nutrients through a narrow air gap during the final three days.
On Thursday, amid pouring rain and aftershocks, Flores was finally carried out wrapped in an orange tarp to the cheers of colleagues. His wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, expressed immense relief after days of despair. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez praised the multinational effort, calling it a symbol of resilience.
This rare survival story offers a glimmer of hope as Venezuela grapples with grief and mounting criticism of its disaster response.