Caracas Hospital Faces Collapse After Earthquakes, Residents Demand Demolition

The Francisco Antonio Rísquez Hospital in Caracas is reportedly on the brink of total collapse following significant damage from earthquakes on June 24. Neighbors and hospital workers have raised alarms, demanding that authorities conduct a controlled demolition to prevent a catastrophic structural failure due to ongoing seismic aftershocks.

Journalist Robert Lobo documented the precarious state of the hospital's inpatient area, which appears to have sunk almost to street level. Local residents explained that while the exterior may not show obvious signs of damage, the interior has suffered extensive structural compromise, rendering the hospital unusable. The immediate concern for the community is the hospital's proximity to inhabited homes, with fears that a complete collapse could send debris onto these residences.

This situation is not isolated. Isabel Iturria, the vice president of Health, confirmed that the Rísquez hospital, like the Periférico de Coche hospital, is temporarily closed due to structural damage. Iturria stated that the pressure on the healthcare system has lessened since the initial emergency, with 83% of patients treated for injuries already discharged. However, several hospitals had to suspend new patient admissions, necessitating the transfer of existing patients to safer areas.

Notable transfers included patients from the J.M. de los Ríos hospital, which suffered ceiling and masonry damage, to the Hospital Cardiológico Infantil. Patients from the Maternidad Concepción Palacios were distributed among the Hospital Universitario de Caracas and maternity centers in El Valle and Caricuao. Iturria noted that field hospitals established after the earthquakes have been crucial in alleviating the strain on affected medical facilities.