De la Espriella raises to 111 the dead from the Colombia earthquake and declares national disaster in the face of devastation

The death toll from the earthquake that has shaken Colombia has risen to 111. The far-right president Abelardo de la Espriella has communicated the new balance during his first appearance from the Unified Command Post, where he also confirmed 87 injured and destruction that already affects several of the main cities in the west of the country.

The official report counts 1,575 damaged homes, 37 completely destroyed, and 61 collapsed buildings. Also affected were 18 health centers, 52 educational centers, 18 roads, and six airports. The figures correspond to the count closed at 12:30 p.m. in Colombia and remain provisional.

De la Espriella has declared a national disaster to expedite the mobilization of resources and assistance to the affected areas. The measure allows for strengthening the administrative response to the catastrophe, although it falls short of a state of economic and social emergency, which would grant the president extraordinary legislative powers.

"I am at the forefront of the situation. I am deeply pained by what the affected families and regions are experiencing," said the far-right leader, who has promised to personally offer a new balance every two or three hours. The earthquake has become the first major crisis of his mandate just days after arriving at the Casa de Nariño.

During his appearance, full of religious references, De la Espriella entrusted the country "to the Lord Jesus Christ" and asked God for strength to face the tragedy. He also announced that he would travel to Quibdó, capital of Chocó, while different groups of ministers would travel to Valle del Cauca and the Coffee Axis.

Pereira and Cali search for survivors

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó. The tremor was felt in much of Colombia and also reached areas of Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela. It is the most powerful movement recorded in the country in the last decade.

Pereira concentrates a good part of the fatalities. The director of the Police in the city had initially confirmed 47 deaths and between 60 and 70 collapsed buildings, while rescue teams continued to search collapsed properties and look for trapped people.

In Valle del Cauca, at least 27 deaths had been confirmed before the national update. El Cairo presents damage to nearly 80% of the municipality, El Águila hospital has collapsed, and the health centers of Zarzal and Cartago have had to evacuate or transfer patients.

Cali has also suffered serious damage. Its Mayor, Alejandro Eder, has reported 30 collapsed structures and people trapped in ten of them. At least 38 citizens have been rescued alive during the first hours of work.

A woman has managed to get out alive from the rubble thanks to the joint action of rescuers and police. The rescue has become one of the few hopeful news of a day marked by images of collapsed buildings, streets covered in rubble, and families searching for their loved ones.

Communications continue to be very complicated with San José del Palmar. The mayor, León Fabio Marín, has been able to confirm the collapse of a dozen homes and numerous material damages, although for the moment he has no record of fatalities in the municipality that was located next to the epicenter.

The presidential report counts six affected airports. Authorities have suspended operations at the terminals of Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura while technicians inspect the runways, control towers, and the rest of the facilities.

The Army deploys 180 specialists

The Colombian Army is preparing to send five platoons made up of more than 180 military specialists in search and rescue. Three units will go to the Coffee Axis, one to Chocó, and another to Cali. Each group will have trained dogs to locate people among collapsed structures.

Soldiers will deploy from Bogotá and Tolemaida with equipment prepared to work in collapsed buildings. In numerous localities, neighbors and firefighters have begun searches on their own while awaiting the arrival of reinforcements.

The UN has communicated that it is prepared to collaborate with Colombia. Brazil, France, Spain, El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Panama, and Venezuela have also conveyed their condolences and offered rescue teams, medical personnel, or humanitarian aid.

Pedro Sánchez has sent "all our affection and solidarity" to the Colombian people and has assured that Spain will remain with the country during the emergency. The Consulate General in Bogotá keeps the Colombian telephone number 123 and the numbers +57 316 4733216 and +34 910001249 active for Spaniards who need assistance.

Chef José Andrés has also announced the activation of World Central Kitchen to begin providing food support. The organization mobilizes while Colombian authorities prepare the distribution of water, food, blankets, and medical supplies in the most damaged regions.

Bogotá has enabled six collection points to receive drinking water, blankets, mats, non-perishable food, hygiene products, and first aid supplies. The Mayor of the capital, Carlos Fernando Galán, has asked citizens to collaborate given the magnitude of the needs.

Emergency teams continue searches among the collapsed buildings in Pereira, Cali, Manizales, and other localities in western Colombia. The death toll of 111 remains open as rescue services try to reach rural areas that are still cut off.