Venezuelan Rescuer Retrieves Cousin’s Remains After La Guaira Earthquake

A double earthquake struck northern Venezuela on 24 June, killing more than 4,500 people and collapsing the Residencias Arichuna building in the Los Corales district of La Guaira. Volunteer rescuer Daniel González, a 35‑year‑old former jeweler with forensic training, led a team of volunteers, police and firefighters in a manual search of the rubble.

González dug a hole under a concrete slab with a broom and his hands, eventually uncovering a skull that was identified as his cousin, Félix Astudillo, who had been missing for 18 days. Using the odor of decay and photographs supplied by relatives, the team cut metal rebar and extracted eleven bodies intact, while dozens more remained buried. González expressed a personal commitment to recover his “brother” and other victims, saying, “My goal is to pull out my brother and the other 10 or 11 people because they are family to me.”