Rescue dog Tsunami becomes symbol of hope

"'Tsunami' is our hero."

In Venezuela, where back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck on June 24, a rescue dog named Tsunami has become a powerful symbol of hope.

According to local media and social media posts on June 27, Tsunami is a border collie with one black eye and one blue eye that has been specially trained to search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The dog first captured nationwide attention after leading rescuers to an elderly survivor buried beneath the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Caracas. Rescue crews concentrated their efforts where Tsunami signaled someone might still be alive and eventually pulled the survivor from the debris. Videos and news reports of the rescue quickly spread across the country, bringing a measure of hope and comfort to Venezuelans, international media reported.

The dog's story has struck an even deeper chord because Tsunami was once abandoned and reportedly abused by a former owner. After being rescued by Venezuelan rescuer Jorge Vins, Tsunami received professional search-and-rescue training and now serves with the disaster response team K-SAR ECID. The dog also participated in rescue operations following the 2023 Türkiye earthquakes and landslides in Venezuela.

For many Venezuelans, Tsunami has also revived memories of Orion, the rescue dog revered as a national hero after the 1999 Vargas tragedy. Torrential rain triggered catastrophic floods and landslides in the Vargas region, killing more than 10,000 people. Orion, a pet Rottweiler, played a key role in the rescue effort.

Orion found people trapped beneath mud and debris or swept away by floodwaters. Rescue authorities said the dog's work helped save 37 lives. Orion later received a government medal, and a statue was erected in its honor. Some Venezuelans have already begun calling Tsunami "the second Orion."


오승준 기자 ohmygod@donga.com