Hospital collapse forces Venezuelan families to transport earthquake victims' bodies to morgue

In Venezuela, the aftermath of powerful earthquakes has led to a critical collapse of hospital services, forcing families to personally transport the bodies of their loved ones to the morgue. Pick-up trucks laden with bodies in white bags have become a common sight outside Caracas's morgue as the country grapples with the devastation caused by recent tremors.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck within minutes of each other, leaving a trail of destruction. The official toll stands at nearly 1,000 dead and an estimated 50,000 missing. The state of La Guaira, near the capital, has been particularly hard-hit, becoming ground zero for the tragedy.

Yessica Mendoza arrived at the morgue in the early hours with the body of her daughter, Yesimar Rodríguez, and her son-in-law, Jhomel Anaya. They were killed when their apartment building collapsed. "We were the ones who took them out ourselves, no help arrived," Mendoza recounted, her face etched with exhaustion and grief. She explained that the social security system is overwhelmed, and the hospital in Catia la Mar was so inundated that "the dead were lying on the floor."

An anonymous official at the morgue confirmed that approximately 200 bodies had arrived since Friday, highlighting the scale of the crisis. Mendoza plans to cremate her daughter and son-in-law due to the advanced state of decomposition, making traditional wakes impossible. The scene at the morgue, with multiple vehicles arriving carrying deceased individuals, underscores the profound impact of the earthquakes on the nation's infrastructure and its people.