On Friday, the Humanitarian Rescue Unit (UHR) from El Salvador made a miraculous discovery: Camila Sofía Medina Rivas, a 15-year-old girl, was found alive after being trapped on the ninth floor of the Bahía Mar building in the Caribe urbanization of La Guaira, Venezuela. This rescue comes in the aftermath of the devastating twin earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced the successful find on his X account at 7:27 PM, stating, "We have located Camila Sofía Medina Rivas alive, a 15-year-old girl trapped alongside her pet on the ninth floor of a collapsed building. Her mother is waiting below with part of our team."
At the time of the announcement, rescuers still faced the challenge of breaking through several walls to reach her.
Bukele detailed that additional tools and machinery were being brought in to clear the way and ended his message with hope-filled words: "With God's help, we will soon succeed in rescuing her."
Hours later, the president shared a video showing a direct interaction between a rescuer and the girl, captioned, "Almost there, Cami!"
In the video, the rescuer speaks calmly to her: "Hello Cami, good afternoon, we are the UHR from El Salvador, and we're here to help you, to get you out as soon as possible. Stay strong."
The rescuer then inquires about her mobility, to which Camila responds, "I can only move my legs, stretch them."
He asks her to tap on the surrounding surfaces to guide the team and concludes, "It's a pleasure to greet you on behalf of us, the Salvadorans, and we are here to do everything we can."
This rescue effort unfolds amid a disaster of historic proportions. The seismic doublet, with magnitudes 7.1 and 7.2, was followed by a 7.5 aftershock, striking northern Venezuela at 6:04 PM local time on June 24, centered in the Yaracuy state.
The official toll reports 920 fatalities and over 3,360 injuries, according to Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. However, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated a 42% likelihood that the death toll could be between 10,000 and 100,000.
The United Nations estimated that up to 6.76 million individuals were exposed to the quake's impact.
In response to the disaster's scale, El Salvador launched one of its largest humanitarian missions ever, deploying 300 rescuers and paramedics, along with six planes carrying 150 tons of equipment and supplies. By Friday, 188 personnel were already operational on the ground.
At least 17 countries, including Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Peru, and the Dominican Republic, mobilized nearly 1,000 personnel in total to Venezuela.
Camila's story, broadcast in real-time by Bukele and viewed nearly a million times, has become a poignant human symbol of the international response to Venezuela's most severe seismic tragedy in decades.
Understanding the Venezuelan Earthquake Crisis
What was the magnitude of the earthquakes that struck Venezuela?
The earthquakes that struck Venezuela had magnitudes of 7.1 and 7.2, followed by a 7.5 aftershock.
How many people were affected by the Venezuelan earthquakes?
The United Nations estimated that up to 6.76 million people were exposed to the impact of the earthquakes.
How did El Salvador respond to the earthquake disaster in Venezuela?
El Salvador responded with one of its largest humanitarian missions, deploying 300 rescuers and paramedics, and sending six planes with 150 tons of equipment and supplies.