Key facts
- Fabiana, 12, was trapped for 32 hours under rubble after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake in Venezuela.
- She survived by eating ketchup and grated cheese found in the debris.
- Fabiana sustained a fractured foot and minor injuries.
- She was rescued by firefighters and volunteers.
- Only three people were rescued alive from her 10-storey building.
A 12-year-old girl named Fabiana has been rescued after being trapped for 32 hours under the rubble of her collapsed apartment building following a powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24. Fabiana was in her kitchen when the building crumbled around her, leaving her buried with the ceiling close to her face. She managed to survive by consuming ketchup and grated cheese she found amidst the debris, and by moving rubble to alleviate pain from her leg being trapped in an awkward position. A nurse, also trapped in the building, heard Fabiana's cries and alerted rescuers, giving Fabiana's mother, Karina Blanco, hope after she had initially feared the worst. Volunteers, including one named Viktor, played a crucial role in locating Fabiana and reassuring her while rescue efforts were underway. After numerous attempts by different teams, a breakthrough was made, and Fabiana was pulled out alive around 2:00 AM on Friday, 32 hours after the earthquake. She sustained a fractured foot and minor injuries. Of the nearly 50 people in her building, only three were rescued alive. The earthquakes have claimed over 3,342 lives in Venezuela, with tens of thousands still missing.