At least 164 people have died, according to initial Reuters data, and more than 570 were injured in Colombia due to the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook the country this Monday, according to a provisional report from the Colombian Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales).
Pereira, the capital of the Risaralda department, which borders San José del Palmar (Chocó), the epicenter of the earthquake that occurred at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT), has the highest number of fatalities, with 60 deaths, according to the information.
The provisional figure provided by that institution only includes the breakdown of the country’s capitals, so the report does not include the numbers of dead and injured in nearby towns and localities, which also suffered building collapses and damage to their hospital infrastructure, airports, public services, and transportation systems.
Looting threats as a response to the tragedy have forced authorities to impose curfews
Pereira, Cali, Quibdó, Manizales, and Armenia are the main cities remaining on red alert due to the extent of the damage, with at least 86 collapsed buildings and six airports with suspended operations in total.
In Pereira, in addition to the 60 deceased, there are 16 people trapped in the Megacable (public cable car), two collapsed buildings, and 15 critical points where rescue efforts continue, while Matecaña International Airport remains closed due to damage to its roof. The number of missing persons remains unknown, although it is estimated that there could be around 200 people missing in Cali alone.
The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.4 according to the Colombian Geological Service (SGC), was felt at 07:34 local time and had its epicenter in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in Chocó, at a depth of 103 kilometers, causing damage to much of the central and western parts of the country.
Due to the large number of injured, which already exceeds half a thousand people, hospitals are beginning to reach their capacity limits, leading to evacuations in the most strained areas, such as Cali. Additionally, threats of possible looting in response to the tragedy have forced authorities to impose curfews and mobility restrictions in some cities and departments.
“We have looting threats, which is why I have ordered a curfew and the militarization of Cali,” said Cali’s mayor, Alejandro Eder, who asked citizens to report any looting attempts or insecurity situations. The mayor indicated that the presence of the Police and the Army will be reinforced in different sectors of the city, especially in areas with the greatest damage. “These first 48 hours are critical so that we can rescue alive all the people who may be trapped in the collapsed buildings,” he added.
The newly elected Colombian president, Abelardo de la Espriella, took control of the emergency this past Monday after declaring the situation a “national disaster.” Concern continues over the multiple collapsed buildings, among whose rubble there could be trapped people and victims awaiting identification.
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De la Espriella traveled Monday night to Quibdó, the capital of Chocó, to assess the damage and announced that he had mobilized “the entire military and police apparatus” to respond to the emergency, deploying engineers, rescue teams, and search dogs. He also announced rental assistance for people whose homes were damaged while repairs are carried out.
The damage has been enormous in some cities such as El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 inhabitants located in the Valle del Cauca, where it is estimated that up to 80% of homes and buildings have been damaged or partially collapsed.
Meanwhile, the Spanish government has not been able to confirm that there are Spaniards among the victims, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up an emergency phone line with two numbers (+573164733216 and +34 910001249) for possible affected persons.
The EU and the United States announce millions in aid to help Colombia
The European Union is providing funding and collaborating in rescue operations following the earthquake that occurred Monday in Colombia, which claimed the lives of more than 100 people, according to the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.
“The EU has mobilized Copernicus, our satellite service, to support rescue and humanitarian aid operations. We are providing funds to support the response, among other channels, through the Red Cross,” Kallas posted on X on Tuesday. “We have also activated the EU consular assistance mechanism in crisis situations to help EU citizens affected by the disaster,” Kallas stated.
Similarly, Cuban leader Manuel Marrero expressed his condolences and “solidarity” following the powerful earthquake, “in light of the loss of human lives, injuries, and serious damage caused.” The government of Argentine President Javier Milei offered to send aid to Colombia and assured it is “in contact with Colombian authorities,” to whom it has conveyed “Argentina’s willingness to provide the assistance that may be necessary.”
On the other hand, the United States government announced on Monday aid of 15.5 million dollars for Colombia, reported by the State Department on its X account, where it expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and stated it is prepared to support President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government while needs are assessed on the ground.
Venezuela, recently affected by several earthquakes, offers its rescue teams to Colombia
Venezuela, which in June experienced two severe earthquakes with more than 6,300 deaths, offered Colombia the deployment of rescuers and humanitarian aid, expressing its “deepest solidarity and fraternity” with the Colombian people. “We have made our brigades available to the Colombian government for the rescue of people trapped under rubble (…) and we are ready to provide the supportive aid of our people,” said acting president Delcy Rodríguez during a day of rehabilitation of schools affected by the earthquakes that occurred in June.
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