Families Scour Caracas Hospitals for Relatives Lost in Earthquake Drama

Caracas hospitals have become centers of desperate searching as hundreds of families scour handwritten lists posted on walls, seeking any information about relatives missing since the earthquake.

The scene is tragically consistent across medical facilities receiving patients from La Guaira, including the University Clinic, hospitals in Catia, and the Domingo Luciani. Kenny, alongside his mother, recounted their fruitless search for a cousin at the Periférico de Catia, having visited multiple hospitals without success.

"Many families come here to check the lists; I've seen them arrive on motorcycles, and if they don't find the name on the paper sheets, they rush to another hospital," said Andrés, a volunteer worker at the Dr. José Gregorio Hernández Hospital in Catia.

To aid in locating patients, the government launched the website localizapacientes.com, which allows searches by name, surname, or ID number. As of Saturday afternoon, 72 hours after the earthquake, the site listed over 2,500 patients.

However, the website's effectiveness is hampered by coordination problems and confusion on the ground. Manuel, a Caracas resident, went to Pérez Carreño hospital after the website indicated his missing niece was there. Upon arrival, hospital staff directed him only to the external lists, where his niece's name was absent. "The page says she is here, that's why I came, but her name isn't on the lists here," Manuel explained, expressing uncertainty about his next steps amidst overwhelmed hospital staff.

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Hemos ido a varios hospitales, siempre esperando encontrarla en alguno, pero hasta ahora no hemos tenido suerte.