Rescue Efforts Continue in Venezuela After Earthquakes

International rescue teams, including those from the U.S., are working non-stop in northern Venezuela following two major earthquakes. The mission is to save people trapped under the wreckage, such as 44-year-old Hernan Gil Flores, a security guard.

Gil Flores has been stuck under a partially collapsed 10-story building in La Guaira for six days. Manny Sampang, a team leader from the Los Angeles County Fire Department on site in Venezuela, described the rescue as very complex. Multiple leaning buildings are complicating the efforts to rescue Gil Flores.

Rescuers believe Gil Flores is located in the security booth of the underground parking garage. They are moving cautiously to avoid further collapse. His wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, said that rescuers have communicated with him and provided water. Fortunately, he appears uninjured.

The earthquakes, a 7.5 and a 7.2 magnitude, struck one minute apart on June 24th after 6 p.m. local time. The death toll was over 1,900 by the following Tuesday, with tens of thousands missing, according to the United Nations.

Rescuers are uncovering small miracles amidst the devastation. An 18-day-old baby and its mother were rescued from a collapsed high-rise after being trapped for 32 hours. A separate rescue involved a mother and her 9-month-old baby who were pulled from the rubble with minor injuries, as reported by Virginia Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1. Venezuelan authorities report that approximately 6,400 people have been rescued thus far.

NASA satellite data suggests that about 59,000 buildings were damaged or completely collapsed in the area. The U.N. reports that 1.8 million people, including nearly 700,000 children, require humanitarian aid.

The most severe destruction occurred in La Guaira along the Venezuelan coast. Many residents, like Marianae Hernandez, have fled to the capital, Caracas, seeking refuge. Hernandez’s home was destroyed, and she, her mother, and three children now live in tents. “I’m trying to stay strong for my children,” she said. “It’s a difficult time.”