A security guard was rescued Thursday from a collapsed shopping mall in Venezuela, eight days after devastating twin earthquakes struck the region. Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, 43, had been trapped under 29 feet of wreckage after the Galerías Playa Grande shopping center in La Guaira crumbled on June 24, according to The Associated Press.
Survival Against the Odds
Gil Flores, a father of two, was in his small security cabin when the building fell. The cabin shielded him from the collapsing structure and created a vital pocket of air that sustained him for over a week. Rescuers from across the Americas used a telescopic camera to maintain contact with him after he was discovered over the weekend, passing water and liquid nutrients to keep him alive ahead of Thursday’s successful extraction.
The rescue operation took approximately 100 hours to pull Gil Flores from the rubble. Rescue workers carried him out on a stretcher and into an ambulance as onlookers cheered. Rescuers reported that Gil Flores is in “good condition.”
Family’s Relief
His wife, Gusbimar González, told CNN that once she learned he was alive, “I saw a ray of sunshine.” She added, “He was holding up like a hero.” The emotional reunion came after days of uncertainty and fear.
Devastating Impact of the Earthquakes
Venezuela’s twin earthquakes have caused widespread devastation. Officials report at least 2,295 deaths and more than 11,000 injured. Thousands of people are sleeping in crowded shelters or outdoors, while many remain missing as families continue to search through the rubble.
