Venezuelan Man Rescued Alive Eight Days After Devastating Earthquakes

A 43-year-old Venezuelan security guard has been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed building eight days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela.

The survivor, Hernan Gil, was pulled from the remains of a seven-story building in Catia La Mar on Thursday after an intensive rescue operation involving emergency teams from Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico.

Rescuers kept Gil alive by supplying him with more than 10 litres of water through a hose and providing oxygen via a tube while they carefully dug through the debris. About 30 rescuers worked for three days to reach him, with two specialists excavating a three-metre tunnel during the final stage of the operation.

His wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, described the rescue as "a miracle" as emergency workers carried him to an ambulance.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck Venezuela on June 24, causing widespread destruction across coastal communities. Authorities say the death toll has climbed to 2,295, more than 11,000 people have been injured, and nearly 13,000 residents have been left homeless, while thousands remain missing.

According to NASA estimates, nearly 60,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the disaster.

Although a few survivors have been rescued—including a three-year-old boy found alive six days after the quakes—officials say hopes of finding more people alive are fading. Rescue efforts are increasingly focused on recovering victims' bodies and providing aid to displaced families.

Humanitarian concerns are growing as shortages of food, clean water, and medical care worsen. The World Food Programme has appealed for $50 million to provide food assistance to about 500,000 people over the next three months, while security forces continue patrolling affected areas to prevent looting.

Many survivors are now living in temporary shelters after losing their homes, with residents describing the disaster as one of the country's worst natural tragedies in recent years.

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