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Man trapped for 8 days in Venezuela quakes rescued
03 Jul 2026

In a miraculous turn of events, Hernan Alberto Gil Flores was rescued after being trapped for eight days under the rubble of a collapsed shopping center in Venezuela.

The 43-year-old security guard was pulled out by rescue teams who spent over 100 hours navigating through unstable structures and heavy rain to reach him.

He had been on duty when twin earthquakes struck, leaving him trapped in a small security cabin that miraculously remained intact amidst the destruction.

Gil Flores asked not to inform wife about his survival
Global effort

The rescue operation was a joint effort of urban search and rescue units from Chile and specialized teams from the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Venezuela.

They used a telescopic camera to communicate with Gil Flores and supplied him with food and water through a narrow shaft during the last three days of his entrapment.

When I learned he was alive, I saw a ray
Aftermath

A Costa Rican Red Cross rescuer recalled to AP how Gil Flores asked them not to inform his wife about his survival until he was rescued.

Gil Flores's wife, Gusbimar Gonzlez, expressed her relief upon learning about her husband's survival. "When I learned he was alive, I saw a ray of light in the darkness," she was quoted as saying.

The rescue operation concluded one of the most closely watched efforts following the disaster.

The twin earthquakes struck on June 24
Disaster impact

Meanwhile, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez celebrated the rescue on social media amid criticism over her government's response to the crisis.

The twin earthquakes that struck on June 24 had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, respectively. As of Thursday, the death toll stood at 2,595, with tens of thousands of people still missing.

Gil Flores's rescue marked the end of one of the most closely monitored operations in the wake of this disaster.