Rescue Efforts Continue in Venezuela After Devastating Earthquakes

International rescue teams are working tirelessly in northern Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes. These teams, including rescuers from the U.S., are focusing on saving individuals trapped beneath debris. Among them is 44-year-old security guard Hernan Gil Flores, who has been trapped for six days under a partially collapsed 10-story building in La Guaira.

“It is a very complex rescue,” stated Manny Sampang, a task force leader from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, who is aiding in the efforts. Multiple buildings are precariously leaning, complicating the rescue operation. According to rescuers, Gil Flores remains in the security booth located in an underground parking garage. Moving cautiously to prevent further collapse, rescuers have maintained contact with him. His wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, confirmed he is unharmed and able to receive water.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.5 and 7.2 in magnitude, struck within a minute of each other just after 6 p.m. local time on June 24. As of Tuesday, the confirmed death toll exceeded 1,900, with tens of thousands still missing, per the United Nations.

Amidst the destruction, rescuers have found some small miracles. An 18-day-old baby and his mother were saved from a collapsed high-rise after being buried for 32 hours. In another case, a mother and her 9-month-old baby were found with only minor injuries. So far, Venezuelan officials report around 6,400 rescues.

Satellites from NASA indicate that nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the impacted region. According to the U.N., 1.8 million people, including nearly 700,000 children, require humanitarian aid. The most severe damage is in La Guaira, forcing residents to seek refuge in the capital, Caracas.

An example is Marianae Hernandez, who fled with her family after their home was destroyed. She, her mother, and her three children are currently living in tents. “I’m trying to be strong because I have children and I don’t like them to see me cry,” she explained. “What we are going through right now is very difficult.”