Colombia begins reconstruction phase after devastating earthquake
Two weeks after the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia, the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) has updated the casualty report. To date, there are 331 confirmed deaths, 4,439 injured people, and 240 citizens who remain missing, while rescue efforts have successfully saved 364 people.
The seismic movement, whose epicenter was located on August 10 in the municipality of San José del Palmar, Chocó, has left a trail of destruction in 494 municipalities distributed across 16 departments. Currently, it is estimated that there are more than 361,000 victims throughout the national territory.
Impact on national infrastructure
- Housing affected: 178,555 damaged and 31,540 totally destroyed.
- Buildings: 5,884 with structural damage and 603 collapsed.
- Public services and education: 378 health centers and 3,731 educational centers with significant damage.
- Connectivity: 441 roads, five airports, 73 vehicular bridges, and 16 pedestrian bridges affected.
Recovery and reconstruction plan
The Colombian government has officially begun the reconstruction phase. During a visit to Quibdó, in the department of Chocó, President Abelardo de la Espriella oversaw the deployment of the first state actions.
Today the reconstruction of the homeland begins from Quibdó.
Abelardo de la Espriella, President of Colombia.
Among the announced measures, the Executive has begun the distribution of 4,480 tons of materials for home repairs. This process will feature an assisted reconstruction model, where citizens will provide the labor under the technical supervision of engineers and expert professionals.
Likewise, the private sector has joined the efforts; Grupo Argos has increased its donation commitment to 1,000 quick-construction homes, allocating up to 600 of these units specifically for the Chocó region.
Financial support for those affected
To provide immediate relief to families who lost their homes or whose dwellings were left uninhabitable, the Government has arranged a monthly subsidy. Starting August 26, those affected will receive financial aid of 875,452 pesos for three months, totaling 2.6 million pesos per household to ensure their stability during this crisis.
