Rescue Efforts Continue Following Devastating Earthquakes in Venezuela

International rescue teams are continuing their relentless efforts to save those trapped under debris, nearly a week after two powerful earthquakes hit northern Venezuela. Among those awaiting rescue is 44-year-old security guard, Hernan Gil Flores. Gil Flores remains trapped under a partially collapsed 10-story building in La Guaira, where he has been for six days.

Manny Sampang, a task force leader from the Los Angeles County Fire Department assisting in the rescue operations, described the mission as complex due to several structures leaning against the building housing Gil Flores. Rescuers believe he is inside the security booth of the underground parking garage. The rescue teams proceed cautiously due to the instability of the partially collapsed building.

Gil Flores’s wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, reported that her husband has been contacted by the rescue team. She assured that he is uninjured and has access to water. As of Tuesday, the confirmed death toll from the two earthquakes, of 7.5 and 7.2 magnitudes, was over 1,900, as recorded by local time on June 24. Meanwhile, tens of thousands remain unaccounted for, according to the United Nations.

Rescue teams have celebrated small victories in their efforts. An 18-day-old baby, along with its mother, was rescued from a collapsed high-rise after being trapped for 32 hours. In another instance, a mother and her 9-month-old baby were recovered with only minor injuries, according to the Virginia Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 1.

Venezuelan authorities report that approximately 6,400 people have been rescued. NASA satellite data estimates indicate nearly 59,000 buildings were damaged or completely destroyed in the affected regions. According to the U.N., 1.8 million people, including about 700,000 children, require humanitarian assistance.

The most severe destruction is concentrated in La Guaira, located on Venezuela’s coast. This devastation has prompted residents like Marianae Hernandez to relocate to Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, in search of shelter. Hernandez shared with CBS News that her house was destroyed, leaving her with nothing. She, her mother, and her three children are currently residing in tents.

“I’m trying to be strong because I have children and I don’t like them to see me cry,” she said. “What we are going through right now is very difficult.”