A 12-year-old Venezuelan girl survived 32 hours buried under collapsed building rubble by eating ketchup and cheese after two earthquakes devastated her neighborhood in June. Fabiana, whose last name was not released, endured the collapse of a 10-storey residential structure that gave way during the seismic events. Rescuers located her in the debris and pulled her to safety, where she recounted her ordeal to waiting journalists and her family.
The girl's survival in the rubble hinged on finding small food items within her confined space. She rationed the ketchup and cheese she discovered, using them to maintain her strength and mental clarity through the long hours of darkness and uncertainty. Her ability to stay calm and conserve resources likely played a role in her rescue and recovery.
The June earthquakes caused widespread damage across Venezuela, with multiple buildings collapsing and leaving residents trapped. Search and rescue teams worked around the clock to locate survivors in the rubble of damaged structures. Fabiana's rescue represents one of the more dramatic survival stories to emerge from the disaster.
Her experience underscores both the vulnerability of residential infrastructure in seismic zones and the resilience of young survivors. Medical teams treated her following extraction, assessing injuries sustained during the 32-hour entrapment. The case drew international attention as news outlets covered the dramatic rescue operation and the girl's remarkable will to survive against significant odds.