The General Regional Hospital Dr. José María Vargas in La Guaira reached its breaking point on Thursday after severe earthquakes rocked Venezuela, forcing medical staff to move triage operations to the hospital's parking lot to manage the influx of injured victims.
Photos and videos circulating on social media highlight the extent of the hospital's collapse. "This is the situation here in La Guaira, at the José María Vargas hospital. This is the triage area," reported journalist Cristian Crespo in a video from the scene. "This is the hospital parking lot. Over there on the stands, we have patients with minor injuries."
According to TalCual, a Venezuelan news outlet reporting from the hospital's emergency area, the facility was handling at least 17 lists of injured individuals being treated, while ambulances continued to arrive with new patients at regular intervals.
The hospital crisis is a direct result of the two earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, that struck Venezuela on Wednesday at 6:04 PM local time, just 39 seconds apart. The epicenter was located in the Yaracuy state at a shallow depth of 10 to 13 kilometers.
La Guaira state was declared a disaster zone, bearing the brunt of the devastation. Besides José María Vargas, the Pariata Peripheral Hospital in La Guaira also saw a wall collapse. In total, eight hospitals across the nation were affected, along with 20 shopping centers and 250 damaged buildings.
The Venezuelan hospital system was already crippled by years of severe decline before the catastrophe: shortages of medicines, outdated equipment, a massive exodus of medical personnel, and neglected infrastructure maintenance.
This pre-existing structural weakness exacerbated the emergency response, causing health centers to quickly buckle under the demand.
The death toll kept mounting throughout Thursday. Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, updated the figures to 188 dead, 1,520 injured, 157 missing, and 200 people trapped under rubble, with 2,927 families displaced.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) issued a Red Alert — its highest level — estimating a 42% chance that the final death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000, placing this event among the worst natural disasters in recent Latin American history.
The Venezuelan government declared a constitutional state of emergency, suspending classes, gas supply, and services at Maiquetía Airport, the Caracas Metro, and the Valles del Tuy Railway. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez issued an urgent plea for doctors and nurses to report immediately to their workplaces.
Wednesday's earthquakes were the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900, with over 137 aftershocks registered by Thursday. The Trump administration announced the immediate deployment of search, rescue, and humanitarian aid teams to support the affected population.
Impact of Earthquakes on Venezuela's Health System
What caused the hospital collapse in La Guaira?
The hospital collapse in La Guaira was caused by the overwhelming influx of patients following two major earthquakes that struck Venezuela, highlighting the inadequate infrastructure and resources of the healthcare system.
How did the Venezuelan government respond to the earthquakes?
The Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency, suspended various services, and called on medical professionals to report to work immediately to manage the crisis effectively.
What support is the United States providing to Venezuela?
The United States announced the deployment of search, rescue, and humanitarian aid teams to assist the Venezuelan population affected by the earthquakes.