Earthquakes Force Evacuation and Emergency Transfers at Venezuelan Children's Hospital

Preventive evacuation and emergency transfers have disrupted services at Venezuela's main children's hospital, J. M. de los Ríos, following significant structural damage from powerful earthquakes on June 24. The twin tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude with an epicenter in Yaracuy, have compromised the hospital's infrastructure, impacting the care of chronically ill patients.

Following the seismic event, which official reports indicate caused thousands of deaths and injuries nationwide, engineering experts and international organizations inspected the hospital. The detected structural risks led authorities to evacuate hospitalization wards. Patients stable enough were discharged, while those requiring continuous critical care were moved to other health centers in the capital.

By June 26, hospitalization floors remained empty, with a group of children temporarily housed in the emergency area. Hospital staff are assessing the feasibility of repairs to gradually reopen affected spaces. A preliminary report on June 30 confirmed that general hospitalization corridors were still closed due to safety concerns, leaving the hospital operating with limited capacity, primarily in emergency and intensive care units.

The impact extended to the hospital's dialysis unit, where pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease were urgently transferred to another facility in Caracas. The continuity of renal replacement therapy is critical for these young patients, as missed sessions can lead to toxin accumulation, pulmonary edema, and life-threatening complications. This transfer, conducted amidst city-wide power outages, water shortages, and seismic aftershocks, posed significant challenges for the medical team.