Guard Rescued Alive Eight Days After Venezuela Collapse
A security guard was pulled alive from a collapsed shopping centre in Venezuela. Hernán Gil Flores had been trapped for eight days.
Two earthquakes hit the area on June 24. They measured 7.2 and 7.5 in strength and killed more than 2,200 people across northern Venezuela.
Gil Flores survived in an air pocket inside his work cabin. Rescuers made contact with him at the weekend.
They passed water and liquid nutrients through a narrow shaft to keep him alive. The rescue took over 100 hours.
Teams from Chile, the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Venezuela worked together. Gil Flores is 43 years old and has two children aged 8 and 10.
His wife is named Gusbimar González. He told rescuers not to tell her about him in case he did not survive.
Key Terms 2
- air pocket A small space with enough air for a person to breathe
- magnitude A number showing how strong an earthquake is