Journalist Ilia Calderón has arrived in Quibdó, Colombia, to report on the aftermath of a Monday morning earthquake [1].
The reporting highlights the immediate human cost and structural devastation in one of Colombia's most vulnerable regions. By documenting the scale of the ruins, the coverage brings international attention to the recovery needs of the Chocó department.
Calderón, reporting for N+ Univision, traveled to the capital of the Chocó department to provide on-the-ground coverage of the disaster [1]. The journalist documented collapsed buildings and shared first-hand accounts from residents facing the sudden loss of their homes and livelihoods [2].
During the reporting, Calderón visited the Medrano neighborhood, where residential buildings had collapsed [1]. The imagery from the scene shows a city struggling with the physical remnants of the quake, a situation exacerbated by the region's difficult geography.
For Calderón, the assignment carried a personal weight. "Esta es mi tierra y es una tragedia que me toca muy de cerca," she said [2].
The journalist described the emotional toll of witnessing the devastation in her home region. "Tener que llegar y encontrar tanto dolor y tanta destrucción ha sido un choque bastante fuerte," Calderón said [3].
The reports from Quibdó focus on the intersection of natural disaster and existing social fragility. The coverage emphasizes the urgent need for aid as residents navigate the wreckage of their neighborhoods [2].
“"Esta es mi tierra y es una tragedia que me toca muy de cerca"”
The focus on Quibdó underscores the disproportionate impact of natural disasters on marginalized regions. Because the Chocó department often faces systemic infrastructure challenges, an earthquake of this nature can lead to more severe structural failures and slower emergency response times compared to more developed urban centers in Colombia.
