President Abelardo de la Espriella announced a national emergency response on Monday after a magnitude 7.4 [1] earthquake struck Colombia.
The disaster has caused significant casualties and infrastructure damage, forcing the government to mobilize the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) to coordinate relief efforts.
The earthquake's epicentre was located in San José del Palmar, in the Chocó department [4]. According to reports, the quake resulted in 111 deaths [2] and 87 injuries [3]. The seismic event caused partial collapses and damaged buildings across several cities [1].
Speaking from Bogotá, President de la Espriella announced the creation of a Unified Command Post through the UNGRD to streamline the government's reaction. He said he has requested a detailed report from the director of the UNGRD regarding the current situation and the most urgent needs.
"No están solos," de la Espriella said, translating to "You are not alone."
The president said he would travel to Pereira to oversee relief operations, identifying it as the city most affected by the disaster. Reports indicate that Pereira is currently experiencing communication problems, complicating the assessment of damage in the region.
De la Espriella said he interrupted his agenda in Bogotá to ensure the government leads the response firsthand in the affected zones. The administration is now focused on assessing the total scale of the destruction, and delivering immediate aid to survivors in the Chocó and Risaralda regions.
“"No están solos,"”
The magnitude of this earthquake and the resulting death toll place significant pressure on Colombia's disaster management infrastructure. By establishing a Unified Command Post and prioritizing the city of Pereira, the administration is attempting to centralize a fragmented response in areas where communication networks have failed, highlighting the vulnerability of regional infrastructure to high-magnitude seismic events.
