Rescue workers have pulled a 43-year-old security guard alive from the rubble of a collapsed building, eight days after powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing thousands and leaving many others missing.

The survivor, Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, was rescued on Thursday after spending nearly 192 hours trapped beneath the debris of a seven-storey building in Catia La Mar, in La Guaira State.

Gil Flores was on duty on the night of June 24 when two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck the area, causing the collapse of the Galerías Playa Grande shopping complex where he worked.

According to rescue officials, he survived inside a reinforced security cabin located in the building’s basement parking area, which created an air pocket and protected him from the weight of the collapsed structure.

Emergency responders first detected signs of life after spotting movement through a narrow opening in the rubble. The discovery led to a painstaking rescue operation that lasted more than 72 hours.

The multinational effort involved urban search-and-rescue teams from Venezuela, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Mexico, who worked around the clock to reach the trapped security guard despite the danger posed by unstable buildings and repeated aftershocks.

Rescuers drilled access points to deliver oxygen, water, food and medication while using cameras and specialised equipment to monitor his condition before safely extracting him.

Speaking to journalists before the rescue was completed, his wife, Gusbimar Gonzalez, expressed gratitude to the international rescue teams.

“I’m completely amazed because it’s the first time I’ve seen so many countries come together like this to save a single person,” she said.

Medical personnel said Gil Flores was conscious throughout the operation and did not suffer life-threatening injuries.

When rescuers asked whether he had been seriously injured, he reportedly replied, “No, I’m not hurt. I’m just uncomfortable because of the rocks.”

Following his rescue, he was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation and observation.

The dramatic rescue has provided a rare moment of hope amid the country’s worst natural disaster in decades. Authorities said the death toll from the earthquakes has risen to 2,295, while more than 11,000 people have been injured and thousands remain unaccounted for.

As search operations gradually transition into recovery efforts, the Venezuelan government has declared seven days of national mourning for the victims. Humanitarian agencies are also intensifying relief operations to provide food, clean water and shelter for displaced residents and to prevent disease outbreaks in the affected communities.