A man was rescued from under the rubble of a nine-story building in Venezuela, eight days after the devastating earthquakes that hit the country. Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, 44, was freed on Thursday amid a delicate days-long effort by local and international rescue teams.
Rescue Efforts
Gil, who was buried under 29 feet of wreckage from a collapsed shopping mall parking lot in La Guaira, was given water, food, and medication by emergency crews. His wife, Usbimar Gonzales, expressed her relief and joy at his rescue, saying she had experienced ‘days of great sorrow’ but saw a ‘ray of sunshine’ when she found out he was alive.
Video shows the moment rescuers first made visual contact with Gil via a search camera feed into the collapsed basement of the building. The Chile Fire Department described the rescue operation as ‘highly complex’ due to the building’s instability and falling debris.
Aftermath
The coastal city of La Guaira was one of the hardest-hit areas, with rescue operations still ongoing. At least 2,295 people have died, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez, with the casualty figure believed to be much larger.
Original reporting: WPBF West Palm Beach — read the source article.
