Venezuela Earthquakes: Direct Relief Mobilizes Medical Aid for Regional Medical Needs

A 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude set of earthquakes, one beginning less than a minute after the other, rumbled through northern Venezuela just before 6 p.m. local time Wednesday, destroying buildings in the capital city of Caracas and causing widespread power outages.

High casualties and damage are probable, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and the agency stated that the disaster is likely widespread. News reports Wednesday evening showed rescue efforts underway in urban areas to pull people from the rubble of collapsed structures, and Venezuela's president, Delcy Rodríguez, declared a state of emergency.

Direct Relief is in communication with local and regional organizations about medical needs and will mobilize medical aid deliveries to help address immediate and near-term health requests.

The organization has an extensive history of medical support in South America and the Caribbean, including work in coordination with the Pan American Health Organization, the branch of the World Health Organization in the Americas, since 2018, to provide regional medical support during emergencies and support health systems throughout the region.

Earthquakes can cause a cascade of medical issues, including acute traumas and crush injuries from falling debris during the initial event, aftershocks, and during rescue and recovery efforts. Local health systems can be strained by an influx of trauma patients to emergency rooms, even as others can end up in medical crisis from unmanaged chronic conditions and other health needs neglected during the immediate crisis. Massive displacement can also cause health risks, including exposure, waterborne illnesses and more.

The organization has a long history of responding to the medical needs of earthquakes, including the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquake, the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and many others.
Direct Relief maintains emergency medicines commonly requested during earthquake events, including wound care, surgical supplies, antibiotics, field medic packs to equip first responders and search and rescue crews, and more.

The organization will continue to respond to requests in the region as they become known.