Relatives of missing Mexicans travel to Colombia after earthquake

Uncertainty and desperate search: Relatives of Mexicans missing in Colombia after earthquake

Anguish has gripped the loved ones of Mario Zapata and Brenda Flores, a couple of Mexican citizens who remain missing following the devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10th. Faced with a scarcity of official reports, the families have chosen to follow the progress of rescue efforts through live broadcasts and social media updates.

Zapata and Flores arrived in Colombian territory on August 6 with the goal of enjoying a vacation in the department of Risaralda. The last contact with their relatives occurred on Monday at 7:05 in the morning, just minutes before the earthquake struck the Pereira region.

No clear answers from the authorities

The relatives managed to determine, through images shared on digital platforms, that the couple was staying at the Hotel Dibeni, one of the infrastructures that collapsed in downtown Pereira. Despite having notified the Mexican Embassy in Colombia of the case, the family members describe the diplomatic assistance as insufficient given the gravity of the situation.

Actually, most of the news we have received has been through social media, from people who are there on the site who keep us informed if they found life or if they are waiting for some rescue team.

The need to obtain accurate and direct information has prompted family members to organize a trip to the disaster area. A daughter of Zapata and a sister of Flores are scheduled to arrive in Pereira this Sunday, in order to closely follow the emergency operations and obtain answers that diplomatic channels have failed to provide with the expected speed.

Critical situation in the disaster zone

• The earthquake, recorded on August 10, has left an official toll of 285 people dead.
• Colombian authorities report 3,975 injured and 379 people missing.
• The deployment of international rescue brigades, such as the Topos Tlatelolco, was not approved by the Colombian government, according to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Meanwhile, the children of the missing are facing the crisis with desperation. José Leonel Rivas Flores, Brenda’s son, expressed his frustration with the bureaucratic difficulties in obtaining documents that would allow him to travel to the scene. The absolute priority for both families remains the location of their loved ones among the rubble of the affected hotel.