Rescue Efforts Intensify for Hernan Gil
Hundreds of rescuers from seven countries were working Wednesday evening to save a 43-year-old Venezuelan man who has survived for a week under the ruins of a seven-story building, an AFP reporter witnessed. Hernan Gil, a security guard, is trapped inside his booth under the building where he worked in Catia La Mar, a coastal area almost entirely razed to the ground in the June 24 catastrophe.
International Teams Collaborate
Rescue teams from seven countries have been working over the past three days to reach him. The operation involves careful debris removal and structural stabilization to prevent further collapse. According to AFP, the building collapsed during the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that devastated the region, leaving thousands homeless and causing widespread damage.
Survivor’s Condition and Hope
Gil has been in contact with rescuers and has received water and food through a small opening. He is reported to be in stable condition but weak. "He is a fighter," said a rescue coordinator on site. "We are doing everything possible to bring him out safely." The rescue is considered a miracle given the time elapsed and the destruction.
Catia La Mar Devastation
The coastal town of Catia La Mar was one of the hardest hit by the quake, with entire neighborhoods flattened. The death toll has exceeded 500, with thousands injured and missing. International aid has poured in, with search and rescue operations ongoing for more than a week.
