Helpers From 7 Countries Team Up for an Amazing Rescue
Quick Summary
Last week, strong earthquakes shook the country of Venezuela in South America, and many buildings were damaged. Today there was wonderful news: rescue teams from seven different countries worked together to save a man who had been trapped for eight days. He is now safe in a hospital.
What Happened?
On June 24, two powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela. It was a very sad event. Many people were hurt, and many families lost their homes. Helpers from around the world rushed in to search for survivors and bring food, water, and supplies.
One of those survivors was a security guard named Hernán Gil. He was trapped when the building where he worked collapsed near the coast. Rescuers found signs that he was alive and started talking to him. While they carefully dug, they passed him water and medicine through a tube to keep him strong.
The rescue was very tricky and took more than 70 hours of nonstop work. Rescuers came from Venezuela, Chile, the United States, El Salvador, Mexico, Portugal, and Costa Rica — about 300 people working in shifts. On Thursday, after eight days, they finally brought Hernán out safely. The rescuers cheered and hugged each other, and he was taken to a hospital, where doctors say he is doing okay.
Why Does It Matter?
When something scary happens in the world, it helps to look for the helpers — and this story is full of them. People from seven countries, speaking different languages, worked side by side to save one person. Hernán’s wife said she was amazed to see so many countries come together like that.
Rescuers saved others too, including a mom and her baby, and even a small dog that was trapped for five days. The work in Venezuela is not finished, and many people still need help. But stories like this remind us that when people team up, they can do incredible things.
Big Words
- Earthquake — a sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements deep inside the Earth.
- Survivor — a person who lives through a dangerous event.
- Rescue — saving someone from danger.
- International — involving more than one country.
- Cooperation — working together toward the same goal.
Fun Fact
Rescue teams use specially trained “sniffer dogs” that can smell where people are, even under piles of concrete. These amazing dogs help rescuers know exactly where to dig.
Think About It
What is one way you and your friends could work as a team to help someone in your community?
Sources
- CBS News: “Security guard rescued from Venezuela earthquake rubble 8 days after massive temblors”
- CNN: “Man pulled from rubble in ‘miraculous’ rescue 8 days after devastating Venezuela earthquakes”
- AFP and Associated Press reporting from La Guaira, Venezuela