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Son Rescues Father from Deadly Venezuela Quake Rubble
6 Jul
Summary
- A son, formerly a firefighter, rescued his father and brothers.
- The earthquake was Venezuela's deadliest in over a century.
- Thousands remain missing after the devastating twin earthquakes.
A devastating 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on June 24, followed by an even more powerful tremor, causing widespread destruction and claiming thousands of lives. Jose Garcia and his two younger sons were miraculously rescued from the basement of their collapsed apartment building by Jose's eldest son, Jesus Garcia, a former firefighter. Jesus, arriving at the scene without knowing his family's fate, used his old firefighting gear to aid the rescue effort.
The rescue took over 20 hours, with Jose and his sons pulled out on June 25. The earthquake has become Venezuela's deadliest natural disaster in over a century, with over 3,342 confirmed deaths and many more people still missing. Andreina Rey lost her entire family in a separate building collapse and now sleeps in the street.
The scale of the crisis is unprecedented for Venezuela, with 856 buildings damaged and 190 collapsed. Experts highlight the significant uncertainty facing survivors. Critics point to a slow and inadequate government response, with some alleging the government impeded aid delivery. Survivors like Jose face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives from scratch.
