Venezuela: One month after earthquakes, thousands still need medical and mental health support
Mobile clinics deliver essential care as survivors cope with loss, displacement and psychological distress
One month since the devastating earthquakes of June 24, Venezuela is grappling with the aftermath, including profound grief as thousands mourn the loss of family, friends and everything they owned.
The earthquakes, which affected the coastal state of La Guaira, near Caracas, has transitioned into a complex, protracted crisis characterized by a massive displacement of people, severe infrastructural damage and deep psychological trauma. In La Guaira and Caracas, the critical needs include access to clean water, adequate shelter, mental health care and protection.
The official death toll has now reached 5,398, with 16,740 individuals injured, 17,907 displaced and 6,462 rescued from the rubble. The structural devastation is staggering; 190 buildings have officially collapsed, while more than 895 structures, including schools, essential public infrastructure and hospitals, have suffered severe damage and are at risk of collapse.
Thousands of people are currently residing in makeshift internally displaced persons (IDP) sites or sleeping in tents adjacent to their damaged homes. In Maiquetía (La Guaira), approximately 3,000 individuals are camping on the pavement directly in front of 20 severely damaged and unstable buildings. Similarly, in Avenida Bolívar (Caracas), another 3,000 individuals are living on the streets, stripped of proper shelter and basic services.
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is operating four mobile clinics to provide primary healthcare, mental health support, health promotion and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) activities across the most affected areas: three in La Guaira (Maiquetía, Catia La Mar and Tamaguarena) and one in Caracas (Avenida Bolívar). In the past month, MSF medical teams have conducted 2,217 medical consultations.
The injuries sustained extend beyond the physical. Families still searching for loved ones beneath the rubble, along with the shock of sudden homelessness and displacement, have given rise to a psychological crisis. To address these mental health challenges, MSF has integrated mental health support into our mobile response, providing: 113 individual mental health, 323 group therapy sessions and 1,402 psychoeducation sessions. With local infrastructure severely compromised, MSF teams are implementing WASH intervention:
- Installed a 5,000-litre water bladder in Playa Verde to serve as a reliable clean water source.
- Initiated the ongoing chlorination of four primary water distribution sites alongside continuous water purification monitoring.
- Distributed 5,000 bottles of emergency drinking water to families living on the streets.
Over the past month, MSF has donated approximately 8.5 tons of emergency medical supplies. This extensive logistical effort has supported immediate and essential operations and addressed the healthcare needs of an estimated 10,000 people. MSF teams continue to provide disinfectants and infection prevention and control materials not only to hospitals but also to overwhelmed local morgues, ensuring safety, hygiene and dignity amid unprecedented loss.
