Girl Rescued After 32 Hours Under Earthquake Rubble

A 12-year-old girl has been rescued after spending 32 hours trapped beneath the rubble of her collapsed apartment building following two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June.

The earthquakes, which hit just seconds apart, caused widespread destruction across parts of the country. The second tremor measured 7.5 in magnitude, making it one of the strongest earthquakes to strike Venezuela in the past century.

At the time of the disaster, Karina Blanco was preparing to lead a spinning class when she felt the ground shaking violently. As the tremors intensified, she rushed outside with everyone else before immediately thinking about her daughter, Fabiana, who had been home alone.

“I realized how serious it was and all I could think about was my daughter,” Karina recalled. She quickly drove home, fearing the worst.

When she reached her neighborhood in Caraballeda, La Guaira state, she was met with a devastating sight. The apartment building where her family lived had completely collapsed.

Inside the building, Fabiana had been in her mother’s bedroom when the earthquake struck. As the shaking became more violent, she ran toward the kitchen, hoping to find safety. Moments later, the walls around her gave way, throwing her to the ground and trapping her beneath tons of concrete and debris.

“I thought I was going to die,” Fabiana said. “I believed no one would ever find me.”

Trapped in darkness with rubble pressing down on every side, Fabiana remained remarkably calm despite the terrifying conditions. At one point, she managed to communicate with a nurse who had also been trapped nearby. Hours later, the nurse was rescued and informed volunteers that a young girl named Fabiana was still alive inside the collapsed building.

The news gave Karina renewed hope after she had begun preparing herself for the possibility of losing her daughter.

Rescue efforts faced repeated setbacks as emergency teams struggled to reach the trapped teenager. Some firefighters were unable to locate her, while others believed reaching her safely would be impossible.

Meanwhile, a volunteer named Viktor refused to give up. He climbed onto the unstable rubble and repeatedly called out for survivors. Eventually, Fabiana heard his voice and answered.

His discovery reignited the rescue operation as volunteers and residents rushed to the scene with tools to help search for the girl.

While waiting for help, Fabiana searched through the debris and found a small bottle of ketchup and some grated cheese, which became her only source of food. She also recovered her mobile phone. Although there was no network coverage, she recorded a video describing her location and pleading for rescue, hoping it would eventually reach someone.

As darkness fell on the second day, another rescue team arrived from Caracas. Using vehicle headlights to illuminate the area, rescuers carefully removed debris piece by piece until they created a small opening.

The emotional moment when Fabiana smiled through the narrow gap before being pulled to safety quickly spread across social media and became a symbol of hope for the country.

Around 2:00 a.m. on Friday, approximately 32 hours after the earthquakes struck, rescuers successfully created a tunnel large enough to bring her out. Assisted by emergency workers, Fabiana emerged from the rubble and immediately embraced her mother.

“When I finally came out and saw everything around me, it didn’t feel real,” Fabiana said.

Although she suffered a fractured foot along with cuts and bruises, doctors said her injuries were relatively minor considering the circumstances.

The tragedy, however, claimed many lives. Karina revealed that nearly 50 people lived in their apartment building, but only three were rescued alive.

Authorities have confirmed that at least 3,342 people have died in the earthquakes, while thousands of others remain missing as rescue operations continue.

Fabiana is now staying with her grandmother while recovering. Although she is physically healing, she says the emotional impact remains overwhelming.

“I’m still afraid sometimes when I lie down because it reminds me of being trapped,” she admitted.

Karina says the family faces a long journey toward recovery, but remains grateful for one miracle.

“What more could a mother ask for? My daughter is alive.”