Venezuelan man rescued alive eight days after twin earthquakes
via Punch Nigeria10 min read
Hernan Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, was rescued alive from a collapsed seven-story building in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, eight days after twin earthquakes struck the region. International rescue teams from seven countries, including Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico, worked for three days to extract him. Rescuers provided Gil with over ten liters of water and oxygen through tubes during the operation. The rescue is considered a miracle, as the official death toll from the earthquakes is nearing 2,300, with many more people still missing. The focus of rescue efforts is now shifting towards providing aid to the thousands left homeless and addressing the scarcity of food and water, as well as the risk of disease outbreaks. The two powerful quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, damaged or destroyed almost 60,000 buildings, and over 11,000 people were injured. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez stated that 2,295 deaths have been recorded, and nearly 13,000 people are homeless. The World Food Programme has appealed for $50 million to feed 500,000 people for three months.
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