Cali begins building demolition process after devastating earthquake
The authorities of the city of Cali have begun this Monday the demolition work on the buildings that suffered irreparable structural damage after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Colombia on August 10th. The seismic movement has left a tragic toll of 331 dead and more than 4,500 people injured throughout the national territory.
To ensure the safety of citizens and avoid collateral damage to surrounding structures, the local government has determined that the work will be carried out exclusively using heavy machinery, ruling out the use of explosives. The first point of intervention was the María Mercedes Lloreda building, located in the Cuarto de Legua sector, in the south of the city.
A technical and careful procedure
The María Mercedes Lloreda building, which housed 22 apartments, suffered the collapse of its ground floor during the seismic event, an incident in which 84-year-old Elsa Valencia Giraldo lost her life. As explained by Jorge Moreno, Undersecretary of Inspection, Surveillance and Control of Cali, the method used will be reverse construction.
- The work will be carried out from top to bottom, removing piece by piece.
- The debris will be progressively transported in specialized trucks.
- Mayor Alejandro Eder has confirmed that there is already an initial list of 11 properties that require immediate demolition.
I want to tell the citizens that this is a job we are carrying out with absolute care, with great tact, speaking first with the people affected and ensuring that they are not left alone.
Alejandro Eder, Mayor of Cali
Balance and recovery plan
The impact of the earthquake in Cali has been significant, accounting for 154 of the deaths nationwide. Official figures from the Mayor’s Office reveal a large-scale housing crisis:
- More than 52,800 families have requested damage assessment.
- Nearly 45,139 families have been officially reported as affected.
- Around 492 people are currently in temporary shelters.
Mayor Eder emphasized that the reconstruction plan has as its absolute priority the citizens who lost their homes. The new housing built during this process will be intended, in the first instance, for the families affected by these demolitions and for those who were left in a vulnerable condition after the natural disaster.
