On a large, unstable mountain covered in concrete, steel and dust, dozens of people are clearing rubble to find survivors or bodies.
Suddenly everything stops. You can hear shouts, people running and hugging each other. Rescuers believe they hear voices from beneath the rubble.
“Oh my god, thank you.” a woman shouted. “really?” another person asks in disbelief.
The hopeful news spread quickly around the Mariola and Maribel Residences near La Guaira Beach, which before Wednesday’s quake was packed with people enjoying the sun.
Only one of the two towers in the complex is still standing, but it is leaning and looks like it could collapse at any time. The other seems to have been swallowed by the ground.
Several rescue workers rush to the road and signal to shut down the engines, stop the cranes and silence the drill. The noise gradually subsides and rescuers climb over the wreckage, kneel down and bow their heads.
“Please, let’s listen. Don’t make any noise! I think there’s someone here,” someone shouts from above. The message “Shh… please be quiet” is repeated in succession.
Holding one’s breath is one of the few things that can help. There is hope that survivors can be rescued. As recently as Saturday, 33 people had been found alive, but optimism is decreasing as time passes.
“Please speak so we can hear.” Someone desperately shouts to an unknown recipient hiding under the concrete. “We are a rescue team!”
These are the only words that break the silence that has become almost sacred. For 10 minutes, time seemed to stop.
There is no sound from the wreckage and experts declare it a false alarm. The face changes dramatically.
Neighbors alerted nearby specialist teams. They arrive within a few minutes but leave quickly again.
