Venezuela quake: Services collapse, health workers missing

People search through the rubble of collapsed buildings in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Search-and-rescue operations continued in Venezuela on Tuesday as thousands of displaced survivors struggled to find shelter, while humanitarian agencies warned of rising risks of infectious disease outbreaks.

Six days after powerful earthquakes struck central-northern Venezuela, aid agencies reported widespread shortages and worsening humanitarian conditions, particularly in the hardest-hit state of La Guaira.

Widespread shortages and displacement

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said food shortages are widespread in La Guaira, where basic services have collapsed and communications remain largely disrupted.

UNHCR spokesperson Carlotta Wolf said access to aid remains constrained, adding that tensions are rising among affected communities.

A rapid assessment by UNHCR across La Guaira, the Capital District, Miranda, Aragua and Carabobo found that about half of survivors are staying with relatives or neighbours, while nearly 40 percent are living on the streets, in public spaces, churches, schools or improvised shelters that fail to meet basic safety and hygiene standards.

The agency also flagged concerns over unaccompanied and separated children among those affected.

As of Monday, authorities confirmed 1,719 deaths, at least 5,034 injuries and 15,866 people displaced or affected.

Health system under strain

The World Health Organization (WHO) said health services are under extreme pressure, with a surge in trauma cases overwhelming hospitals.

WHO-verified data from 21 health facilities across Caracas, La Guaira, Miranda and Falcón shows that three facilities are in critical condition, while six have structural damage or are only partly functional. The remaining hospitals are operating under severe strain.

WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier warned of “chaotic service delivery,” citing overcrowding, surgical backlogs, breakdowns in biosafety measures and overstretched medical staff.

He also highlighted critical gaps in forensic and morgue services, as well as difficulties in tracking missing persons.

Rising health risks

The WHO warned of an increased risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, diphtheria and pertussis, as well as vector- and waterborne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika, oropouche and malaria.

Officials said low vaccination coverage before the earthquakes, combined with damaged health infrastructure, is worsening the risk.

Several healthcare workers in La Guaira remain missing, including staff responsible for maternal care services, creating critical gaps in obstetric support.

Aid response

A 47-metric-ton shipment of health, water and education supplies from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) arrived on Tuesday from its Copenhagen stockpile, with additional assistance expected in the coming days.

UNICEF said the supplies, combined with earlier deliveries, will support more than 100,000 children and families over the next three months.

However, the agency estimates that 680,000 children require urgent assistance and has appealed for $52 million to scale up its emergency response.