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Children in Venezuela face psychological distress after devastating earthquakes

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Children affected by recent earthquakes in Venezuela are experiencing physical and mental health issues, including sleep difficulties and nervousness, according to Plan International.
  • The NGO highlights the urgency of addressing post-traumatic stress in children, equating it to the need for rebuilding shelter.
  • Inadequate housing and debris from the earthquakes exacerbate emotional distress, with children showing signs of anxiety and insecurity.

Children in Venezuela are suffering from the lingering physical and mental effects of the powerful earthquakes that struck the country nearly a month ago. NGOs report that affected youngsters are experiencing headaches, difficulty sleeping, and nervousness, signaling the profound impact of the disaster.

Being aware of these signs and acting on them, along with medical attention, is as urgent as rebuilding a roof.

— Yesica SerranoPlan International's regional advisor for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action, emphasizing the urgency of addressing children's mental health after the earthquakes.

Plan International, an NGO based in Panama, issued an alert emphasizing the critical need to recognize and address these signs of post-traumatic stress. "Being aware of these signs and acting on them, along with medical attention, is as urgent as rebuilding a roof," stated Yesica Serrano, a regional advisor for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action at Plan International.

The physical and mental consequences that children affected by the earthquakes are facing include headaches, difficulty sleeping, and nervousness.

— Plan InternationalDescribing the symptoms experienced by child earthquake survivors.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck on June 24, causing significant destruction in La Guaira, a coastal area near Caracas. Official figures indicate at least 5,208 deaths, with the number of missing persons remaining uncertain. The disaster has left over 17,900 people without homes, and many are living in temporary camps that are nearing capacity.

The inadequate housing conditions, accumulation of debris, and changes in care arrangements deepen the emotional impact of the disaster on children and their families.

— Plan InternationalExplaining how living conditions exacerbate children's emotional distress.

Plan International noted that the inadequate living conditions, accumulated debris, and changes in care arrangements are deepening the emotional toll on children and their families. "Partner organizations report that physical discomfort without a clear cause is appearing more frequently, along with signs of post-traumatic stress and a constant sense of insecurity," the NGO stated. Serrano stressed that mental well-being for children can no longer be treated as a secondary concern, as recovery will be impossible if physical and emotional health are not addressed together.

When the immediate impact of the earthquake passes, the effect does not disappear; it stays with girls, boys, and adolescents both in their bodies and minds.

— Yesica SerranoHighlighting the lasting psychological effects of the earthquake on young people.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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