Mother dies shielding one-year-old daughter as deadly Venezuela earthquakes devastate families
The body of brave mum Andrea Bello was discovered protecting her one-year-old daughter after the earthquakes broke out in Venezuela.
Her husband, Marítimo de La Guaira player Héctor Bello, penned an emotional tribute to her, asking for ‘strength’.
Miraculously, their toddler, Alana, survived thanks to her mum’s sacrifice and was discovered under the rubble in time by search and rescue.
Nearly 50,000 people are missing and at least 589 people have died following magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes in and around the capital Caracas on Thursday.
The organisation has also predicted more than 10,000 deaths, and the state of La Guaira has been declared a ‘disaster zone’ and is being militarised.
The earthquakes come as the country goes through political upheaval, as former president Nicolas Maduro was arrested by the US just six months ago.
Countries including the UK, Germany, India and Mexico are helping with relief efforts as families desperately search for loved ones.
On social media, Héctor Bello said she had ‘left them alone in the fight’, leaving him ‘all alone’ with their little girl.
‘How do I tell that to my daughter?’ Héctor wrote. ‘Andrea, how do I explain to your daughter that you lost your life to save hers and I wasn’t there in that moment to do anything?
‘How do I explain? Give me strength now because I can’t take any more.’
In another message today, he added: ‘You’ll always be our favourite hero, Mummy. I’m going to make sure our baby remembers how wonderful you were, how much you loved her.
‘I’ll tell her the story of how you saved her, how you gave your own life for our daughter, how you were a brave woman who, even with your last breath, never abandoned her.’
Remembering his wife, Héctor – also known as Kike – shared how her cheeks would ‘turn red’ when she laughed ‘all in love’.
‘Oh Andrea, Mummy, I can’t handle this, my love, I really can’t.’
The heartbroken dad shared a snap of Alana after the earthquake, sporting a huge black eye and cuts around her eyebrow.
‘You won’t see your daddy looking strong or smiling like always, but I promise I’ll heal and make you the happiest girl in the world,’ he penned.
Alana is still in the hospital along with her aunt, after the pair were saved from their home, which had collapsed in the earthquakes.
In another post, he said: ‘My daughter and her aunt are doing well, they won’t be discharged today – they’re staying at the hospital. Thank you so much for supporting me through this immense pain.’
He continued to share information about the Venezuelan relief efforts, as well as more tributes to his wife and updates on his daughter.
he country’s football federation also confirmed the death of Yordelis Pereira, a player for Academia Puerto Cabello.
The earthquakes have left thousands homeless, particularly around the coast and La Guaira State, where Héctor and Andrea lived.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reiterated Trump’s remarks saying the US will provide assistance to Venezuela after the two deadly earthquakes this morning.
When asked if the earthquake could upend the process of stabilising Venezuela’s government, just six months after Nicolas Maduro was arrested by the US, Rubio ignored it.
‘I think Venezuela is going to emerge stronger from it, despite the tragedy it’s facing right now,’ he said.
Buildings were reduced to rubble while videos showed people fleeing violently shaking areas.
Interim president Delcy Rodriguez said La Guaira, a coastal state adjoining Caracas, was a ‘disaster zone’.
Yamileth Jiminez, who lives in La Guaira city, said her son, 19, is trapped under the debris of their seven-story block of flats.
She said: ‘He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out’.
People have been digging through wreckage with their bare hands while teams of helpers have been carrying water, food and medicine across the Caracas-La Guaira highway.
Pedro Perez, 64, who owns an upholstery workshop, said: ‘We lost everything. We have no food or medicines. We hope help arrives quickly.’
Technology & Business Editor
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