The 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Colombia on Monday continues to leave an increasingly serious toll. According to the latest figures provided by the national Government, at least 281 people have lost their lives and another 379 remain missing. The emergency has also caused thousands of injuries and serious damage in different parts of the country, especially in the department of Chocó.
Given the dimension of the tragedy, Ecuador has announced the sending to Colombia of a contingent made up of 35 rescuers and specialists, in addition to about five tons of material and a team of engineers. The objective is to reinforce search, rescue and assistance efforts in the areas that have suffered the greatest damage.
While emergency work continues, Colombian President, Abelardo de la Espriella, has announced the first reconstruction plan after the earthquake and has called for the involvement of the private sector. "We need private companies to rebuild Colombia together, because we rebuild this homeland among all Colombians," the president told the media from the Palacio de San Carlos, in Bogotá.
A Spanish citizen dies
Spain has also been affected by the tragedy. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has confirmed the death of a Spanish citizen as a result of the earthquake, while the number of Spaniards whose whereabouts have not yet been confirmed stands at 12.
The Consulate General of Spain in Bogotá maintains a monitoring device activated together with the Embassy and the honorary consulates of the affected regions to try to locate citizens who are still missing and check if any of them are among the victims or affected. Foreign Affairs assures that consular services remain operational and in permanent contact with the Colombian authorities.
The earthquake occurred at 07:34 on Monday —12:34 GMT— and its epicenter was located near San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, on the Pacific coast. According to the first data from the Colombian Geological Service, the earthquake had an approximate depth of 82 kilometers.
Quibdó, capital of Chocó, is among the most affected places, with numerous injured and the collapse of several structures. The strong tremors were also felt in cities such as Bogotá, Cali, Popayán, Manizales, Armenia, Pereira, and Medellín, where the population took to the streets due to the intensity of the seismic movement.
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