Venezuela quake: a McDonald's becomes a field hospital in a chaotic first week

The first week of Venezuela's earthquake response has been marked by improvisation and strained public services, according to on-the-ground reporting by El País. A McDonald's outlet was converted into a makeshift field hospital where medics treated the injured with limited resources.

At the port of La Guaira, hundreds of bodies await identification, while relatives form long queues in the streets hoping for news. Accounts gathered by the newspaper describe overwhelmed morgue capacity and the uncertainty facing families searching for loved ones.

As authorities continue search-and-rescue and relief operations, El País pointed to gaps in coordination during the early days. With international aid teams trying to reach the area, repairing infrastructure and providing shelter are emerging as the priorities for the period ahead.