Suddenly everything stops. There are shouts, people running, embracing each other. A rescuer thinks he can hear a voice under the rubble. ‘Oh my God, thank you,’ cries a woman. ‘Really?’ asks another, incredulous, according to the BBC.

Hope and silence

The hopeful news spreads quickly around the Mariola and Maribel Residences, near a beach in La Guaira that prior to Wednesday’s earthquakes had been full of people enjoying the sun. Of the two towers in the complex only one is still standing, though it is leaning and looks as though it could collapse at any moment. The other seems to have been swallowed by the earth.

Several rescuers run to the road and signal for engines to be shut off, cranes to stop and drills to be silenced. The noise gradually fades and the rescuers climb the rubble, kneel and bow their heads. ‘Please, let us listen. Don’t make noise! It seems like there’s someone here,’ one calls out from above. The message, ‘Shhh… silence, please’ — is repeated in a chain, according to the BBC.

People hold their breath, one of the few ways they can help. There is hope that a survivor can be rescued. As recently as Saturday, 33 people were found alive, but optimism has been dwindling with each passing hour. ‘Say something so we can hear you, please,’ someone shouts desperately to an unknown recipient, hidden beneath tons of concrete. ‘We are a rescue team!’

False alarm

These are the only words that break a silence which has become almost sacred. For 10 minutes, time seems to stand still. No sound comes from the rubble and the professionals declare a false alarm. Faces change dramatically. Neighbours have alerted nearby professional teams. They arrive within minutes, but just as quickly leave again, according to the BBC.

However, Ronnie Navarro is not willing to give up. The community continues to hope that more survivors may be found despite the diminishing chances.

Endless wait

The scene is one of both despair and determination. Every new sound could mean hope, every silence a reminder of the loss. The rescuers, the families, and the witnesses all share a singular moment of stillness and prayer. The rescue efforts continue, driven by the faint possibility that life might still be found beneath the debris.

The earthquakes that struck Venezuela have left a trail of destruction and uncertainty. As the rescue teams work tirelessly, the agonising silence remains a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the resilience of those who search for it.