Disaster in ColombiaAt least 132 victims of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake which struck the area of San José del Palmar, in the Chocó department, in the western part of the country yesterday afternoon, Monday 10 August. An already dramatic budget, which could worsen in the next few hours. There are almost 600 injured, while we continue to dig through the rubble in search of the missing.
Devastating earthquake
The city of Pereira, capital of the Risaralda department, accounts for 60 of the victims, while five capital cities of the country are on red alert, 86 buildings have collapsed and seven airports have suspended operations. The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, has placed a curfew on the entire city following reports of possible looting, after the earthquake that hit the capital of Valle del Cauca. The measure will be in force from 8pm on Monday to 6am on Tuesday, as announced by Eder, who also ordered the deployment of soldiers in various points of the city and joint police and army patrols.
Violent earthquake in Colombia: magnitude 7.4 (Photo LaPresse)
Those missing under the rubble
The president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, has meanwhile provided an updated report from Cali, the third largest city in the country by population and among the most affected by yesterday’s earthquake, declaring that “the priority is to locate the 188 missing people”, reports the newspaper El Tiempo. It also reported that nearly 5,000 homes in the city were affected. President de la Espriella met with Mayor Eder and the governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, to assess the situation and establish subsequent actions.
“We are currently at the Unified Command Post in the city of Cali – said de la Espriella – and I would like to provide an update on the damage and impact of the event. There are around 5,000 homes damaged or collapsed, 35 victims (distributed across 40 municipalities, excluding Cali and Buenaventura) and around 700 injured; three hospitals have collapsed, 18 have reported damage and 39 schools have been hit, while the airport has suffered damage and is operating with limitations. However, our greatest concern undoubtedly concerns the 188 missing people; it is precisely on this aspect that we will focus the State’s efforts, in full coordination with the departmental and municipal administrations and, of course, with the national government”.
Save mother and baby
Also according to what the newspaper El Tiempo reports, a newborn baby and his mother, trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building, have meanwhile been rescued in Cali. Video images released on social media show the rescue operations of the two from the rubble. It is a woman and a baby of a few months. The footage shows the rescue operation during which emergency teams, together with community members, pulled them out alive, putting an end to their ordeal.
The mayor of the city has stated several times that the city has suffered serious damage and urged the population to remain united. “Citizens of Cali, this is the time for unity. Today we cannot allow our differences to divide us. We must help, support each other and collaborate – he said -. Emergency teams are present in the affected areas for search and rescue operations, while we are visiting the city, listening to families, collecting information and carrying out reconnaissance to identify those in need of assistance”.
Aid from the USA
Meanwhile, aid is on the way from the United States, as announced on