Man Rescued Alive After 8 Days Under Venezuela Earthquake Rubble

Rescuers in Venezuela successfully pulled a man in his 40s from the rubble of a nine-story building eight days after devastating twin earthquakes struck the country. Hernan Alberto Chil Flores was trapped under approximately nine meters of debris from a collapsed mall parking structure in La Guaira. The rescue operation, described as delicate and prolonged, involved local and international teams and lasted over 70 hours. Chil, who worked as a mall security guard, was found in stable condition and conscious throughout the extraction, according to Chilean firefighters who coordinated the effort. He was immediately transferred to a medical center for treatment.

Luis Rodriguez, a paramedic from the Venezuelan Red Cross who assisted in the rescue, told Reuters that Chil remained alert and cooperative during the ambulance ride, with all vital signs normal. Chil’s wife, Gosebimar Gonzalez, expressed relief and joy to CNN just before the rescue, sharing that she had endured "days of great sorrow" fearing he was dead but saw "a ray of sunshine" upon learning he was alive. Meanwhile, an official Israeli delegation of seven members arrived in Venezuela recently to assist with relief efforts. Venezuelan government official Jorge Rodriguez reported that the death toll from the earthquakes is nearing 2,300 people.