Racing against time to save lives
The Vietnamese SAR contingent was deployed to Playa Grande, a renowned seaside resort in La Guaira state, Venezuela. As one of the Caribbean's most popular coastal tourist destinations, Playa Grande is home to numerous high-rise buildings and hotels, with a dense population of residents and visitors, explaining the devastating human toll when the twin earthquakes struck.
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Racing against time to search for victims |
Following the disaster, dozens of high-rise buildings collapsed, turning the once-picturesque resort into a field of rubble. Many victims were trapped beneath layers of reinforced concrete, making SAR operations extremely challenging.
A rescuer from the United Kingdom described the scene that along the coastline, buildings more than 20 stories high collapsed in a pancake fashion, with floors stacked one on top of another. Other buildings were left leaning precariously, at risk of collapsing at any moment. The devastation was so overwhelming that it resembled a scene from a brutal war movie.
Immediately after the twin earthquakes, rescue teams from countries in the region, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador, and from Europe, such as Spain, Germany and Switzerland, and from Asia, including Qatar and Vietnam, were rapidly deployed to Venezuela. Many teams arrived early with the objective of rescuing survivors within the critical 72-96-hour window. Once that “golden time” passed, the chances of survival diminished dramatically.
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Vietnamese rescuers discuss with local emergency response forces |
Actually, miracles did happen. Rescue teams from El Salvador, Chile, the United States, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and Venezuela successfully rescued Hernan Alberto Gil, 44, who survived an extraordinary eight days beneath the rubble.
However, not everyone was as fortunate as Gil. As time passed, the hope of finding survivors faded. From July 4 onward, many international rescue teams scaled down their operations, concluded their missions and gradually returned home.
Never give up hope
Arriving in Venezuela on the fifth day after the disaster, the 124-strong SAR contingent of Vietnam, together with its service dogs, has worked tirelessly around the clock through rain and intense heat, assisting affected families in the search for their loved ones. With every passing second marking the struggle between life and death, the team has overcome countless hardships and challenges, determined to accelerate the search and recover victims from the debris as quickly as possible.
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Rescuers recover victims from the rubble. |
Operating in an extremely harsh environment, personnel from the Vietnam People's Army and the Ministry of Public Security have coordinated closely, organizing their manpower and equipment into dedicated search teams to maximize speed and effectiveness. Service dogs were deployed first to detect possible victim locations within collapsed structures. Engineers then used acoustic detection devices and through-wall radar to pinpoint victims' locations before carefully opening access routes to recover them.
As Uncle Ho’s soldiers from a nation enduring decades of war and immense suffering, every member of the Vietnamese contingent deeply understood the anguish of families waiting for news of their loved ones. Whether victims were found alive or dead, bringing them home to their families remained the team's unwavering commitment. Even in moments when hope appeared all but lost, Vietnamese rescuers continued working relentlessly.
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Personnel from the Vietnam People's Army and the Ministry of Public Security jointly conduct SAR operations. |
Among the dozens of victims recovered by the Vietnamese contingent and handed over to the Venezuelan authorities was the body of the 14-year-old daughter of Francia Mar. After nine agonizing days of waiting, the young girl was finally returned to her mother's embrace. Fighting back tears, the Venezuelan mother expressed her profound gratitude to the Vietnamese rescuers, saying that without them, she would never have had the chance to see her daughter one last time.
During the international mission in Venezuela, one lasting impression on the Vietnamese contingent was the remarkable composure and resilience of the local people. Witnessing the destructive force of nature turning their city to ruins within moments, many suffered severe psychological trauma. Yet, step by step, they supported one another through the pain of losing loved ones, homes and everything they owned. They waited patiently, silently receiving the bodies of family members through tears.
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Vietnamese rescuers meet with their peers from Cuba. |
Amidst the devastation, one Venezuelan mother remains at the disaster site, saying “I will not leave this place without my son.” She found her son's helmet and motorcycle where he worked, and believed he was still there, waiting to return to his mother's arms one final time.
Despite differences in language and skin color, international rescue teams, including the Vietnamese contingent, and the people of Venezuela were united by compassion and a shared determination to bring hope to those affected. The disaster will eventually pass, and the pain of loss will gradually fade, but the kindness and humanity shown during those difficult days will remain forever.
(to be continued)
By Hoang Vu (from La Guaira, Venezuela)
Translated by Mai Huong