A week after Venezuela’s June 24 twin earthquakes, medics and aid workers say the immediate threat facing survivors is shifting from rescue to preventing disease. With far more people reported dead than those pulled alive from rubble, search teams continue to look for those who may still be trapped, though the number of survivors recovered has declined. Doctors warn that untreated injuries—including open wounds—can lead to infections if victims do not receive timely medical care and clean dressings.
Sources also report that many displaced people remain in crowded conditions with limited sanitation. Thousands are reportedly sleeping in shelters or outdoors, often without reliable access to clean water. These conditions raise the risk of infectious diseases spreading among vulnerable groups, including those with cuts, fractures, or other quake-related injuries.
Across outlets, the situation is described as deteriorating in parts due to inadequate basic services and overcrowding, even as authorities and responders continue efforts to locate additional victims and provide support to people affected by the earthquakes.
