A 43-year-old security guard has been rescued alive after spending eight days trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed building following the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela.
Hernan Gil was pulled from the wreckage on Thursday after an intensive rescue operation in the coastal city of Catia La Mar. His survival has been described as a "miracle" amid a disaster that has claimed at least 2,295 lives and left thousands more displaced.
Gil had been trapped inside the seven-storey building where he worked when the powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck last week. Rescue teams from Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico worked together to reach him after locating him three days earlier.
His wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, called the rescue "truly a miracle."
According to Chilean rescue team leader Cristian Vera, crews dug a three-metre tunnel to reach Gil after days of carefully clearing debris. During the operation, rescuers kept him alive by supplying water through a hose and oxygen through a tube.
While Gil's rescue has inspired hope, officials say the overall situation remains devastating. Authorities estimate that around 60,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, leaving about 13,000 people homeless. More than 11,000 people have been injured, while roughly 50,000 others remain missing.
Rescue workers say the chances of finding more survivors are becoming increasingly slim. Many collapsed buildings have already been marked with the letter "D" to indicate that no signs of life have been detected beneath the rubble.
With search operations gradually winding down, the focus is now shifting toward humanitarian relief. Aid agencies have warned that Venezuela could face a major public health crisis as overcrowded shelters, untreated injuries and the risk of infectious diseases place additional pressure on the country's already fragile healthcare system.
The World Food Programme has appealed for $50 million to provide food assistance for around 500,000 people over the next three months, while the United Nations Development Programme estimates the physical damage caused by the earthquakes at approximately $6.7 billion.
Several countries have pledged financial support for relief efforts, including a $300 million aid package from the United States. Humanitarian organisations say international assistance will be critical as Venezuela begins what is expected to be a long and difficult recovery.
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