His family trapped in Venezuelan quakes, he turned to social media for help

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — Rubén Darío Sillie, despairing that rescue teams did not come to look for his family trapped under the rubble after last week’s double earthquake, took to social media.

“We are alone, men collecting stones and beams alone, completely alone.” Sillie told on Instagram.

He burst into tears as he stood in front of the collapsed eight-story La Orca building, where he lived with his wife and two daughters, in the Las Playas district of the earthquake-ravaged city of La Guaira overlooking the Caribbean.

“We need tractors and rescue workers on Bella Vista Street,” pleaded Sillie, 44, a business consultant. “Please. “We need help.”

His lament reflected the pain of the legions of Venezuelans who endured grueling days clearing rubble by hand until teams with heavy equipment and rescue dogs delayed their arrival. By then, it was too late for many people to be trapped under the rubble.

As of Tuesday, the official death toll from the two deadliest earthquakes to hit the South American nation in more than two centuries approached 2,000. The number of injured exceeded 10,000. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of people were missing.

The US-backed interim government of President Delcy Rodríguez has come under harsh criticism for failing to respond more decisively. Critics say a massive military and security apparatus dedicated to supporting the socialist government in power for more than a quarter of a century has thwarted the important mission of humanitarian aid and even hindered volunteer rescue efforts.

It was not until foreign aid teams began mass deployment on Friday and Saturday (well after the double tremors on Wednesday evening) that systematic searches began in earthquake-stricken areas such as La Guaira, ground zero of the disaster.

Early Wednesday evening, Sillie was at home, planning to watch the World Cup match between Brazil and Scotland in her second-floor apartment. His father, his wife and his 15-year-old daughter Camila were with him.

The couple’s youngest, 10-year-old Dariana, lived above the apartment where Sillie’s sister and her husband lived.

Sillie said that his mobile phone gave a seismic warning message at the start of the match.. The family took shelter under door frames; This was an outdated strategy based on the often mistaken belief that doorways provided protection.

“That’s when the building collapsed like a pile of dominoes,” Sillie recalled. “I was knocked out.”

He woke up with his daughter’s high-pitched screams. It was his wife who embraced him. He was unconscious and had suffered a serious blow to his head.

“He died in my arms,” ​​Sillie said.

Alejandro Palomino, center, checks his radio during a search and rescue mission in Los Angeles Fire Department’s Catia La Mar.

(For Carlos Becerra/The Times)

Blood was dripping from his head; The father and daughter suffered various injuries. Even though they were in shock, they were all conscious.

The three of them came to an excruciating decision: They had to get out and get help before more debris crushed them or cut off any escape route.

“We had no choice but to leave my wife behind,” he said.

Adrenaline pumping, the three climbed through the flattened debris. They reached a nearby clinic, San Antonio de Catia al Mar; here, beleaguered personnel were performing emergency triage, prioritizing those with life-threatening conditions. Three people were treated and released.

“They stitched up my wounds and I went back to our building early in the morning,” Sillie said.

His wife, sister, brother-in-law and youngest daughter were somewhere in the rubble, one of the many piles of concrete, rebar, plaster and other debris left over from scores of buildings in La Guaira, a city of 25,000 people.

But there was no police. There is no fire department. There is no army. Just civilian volunteers digging among the jagged piles.

“Since there was no help, I thought of taking a video with the phone someone lent me,” he said.

The video was a hit on social media, encapsulating the widespread mood of anger over official inaction.

According to Sillie, the online post motivated Venezuelan soldiers and police to intervene at his home. They found several bodies, including that of Sillie’s wife. They also found a 10-year-old boy alive.

Norka Inés Villalonga, Sillie’s mother-in-law, said her wife’s disfigured body, covered with a sheet, lay on the pavement for hours. Relatives and friends persuaded him not to view his daughter’s remains, and they were eventually moved to La Guaira’s shaken José María Vargas Hospital.

“My daughter was not taken to the morgue, she was transported to the hospital parking lot,” Villalonga said. “When I arrived there were 900 dead. … It was a river of the dead.”

Her son, who accompanied her, faced the terrifying task of unzipping body bags one after another to identify his sister. He recognized her hair and earrings. It was body number 280.

Survivors of a pair of recent earthquakes camp outdoors in Catia La Mar.

(For Carlos Becerra/The Times)

Meanwhile, terrible aftershocks continued to shake the region, striking fear into the population that had already reached the limits of endurance.

Eventually, the family obtained an official death certificate and arranged for the funeral of Carleyydi Lozada, a 43-year-old mother of two.

When she returned to her building, Sillie says the Venezuelan rescue team quickly dispersed. Her youngest daughter, sister and brother-in-law were still missing. Sillie released a second video; The mobile phone was sliding towards the ruins in front of the blue sky.

“Please come, at least help us remove the bodies,” begged Sillie, her head covered in bandages.

Soon a chilling report began circulating among family and friends.

News spread that Sillie had sent a text message to her missing brother-in-law’s mobile phone: “We are trapped, help.”

A man holds a small child sleeping in a military tent in Catia La Mar, where residents took shelter after consecutive earthquakes.

(For Carlos Becerra/The Times)

Were they still alive? Relatives never found the rumored buyer. In the climate of mass confusion and despair prevalent everywhere, it remains a question whether this incident was hearsay or not.

“Nothing is certain in these times in Venezuela,” said Vicente Forte, Sillie’s cousin. “It’s all word of mouth.”

Eventually, emergency crews from around the world descended on La Guaira.

“Brother, I will not leave here with my group until we find your last family member,” a team leader from Argentina assured Sillie.

The two embraced.

“He completely empathized with me,” Sillie said. “I will be forever grateful to him.”

On Monday afternoon, searchers found the bodies of his sister Jeannina Sillie and her husband Juan Bastidas, both 51-year-old doctors. 10-year-old Dariana was still missing.

His father promised to keep his watch.

“My daughter may be alive,” he said. “It can happen in a vacuum or void; in a bubble of air. It can happen. Miracles happen. One cannot lose hope.”

Hope worked out. As midnight approached Monday, rescuers pulled Dariana’s body from the pile of rubble that was once her home.

Special correspondent Mogollón reported from La Guaira and Times Staff Writer McDonnell reported from Mexico City. Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez Vidal contributed from Mexico City.