The world turns to Colombia and offers rescuers, dogs, and humanitarian aid after the serious earthquake that already leaves more than 70 dead

Colombia has received a wave of international aid offers as its emergency teams search for survivors under buildings collapsed by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake. Ecuador, Venezuela, El Salvador, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Israel have made personnel, material, or humanitarian assistance available to the country during the first hours of a catastrophe that has already left more than 70 dead.

The true dimension of the disaster remains open. Pereira has raised the number of fatalities in its metropolitan area to 40, where 65 buildings have collapsed and at least 15 may have people trapped. Victims have also been confirmed in Valle del Cauca, Chocó, Manizales, and Antioquia, while Cali maintains rescue operations in dozens of severely affected properties.

Foreign aid still needs to be accepted, organized, and allocated to the places where it is needed. The Colombian Foreign Ministry coordinates this process with the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management to avoid displacements without prior assignment and ensure that each contingent arrives with a specific mission.

Colombia activates four USAR groups and Bogotá prepares one hundred rescuers

The first response comes from the Colombian services themselves. The Government has activated four Urban Search and Rescue groups, known as USAR, from Bogotá, Envigado, Yopal, and Medellín. These teams are prepared to locate, stabilize, and extract people trapped in collapsed buildings.

President Abelardo de la Espriella has convened the National Committee for Disaster Management and is directing the emergency from the UNGRD headquarters in Bogotá. Reports from territorial authorities are received there, and the deployment of personnel, machinery, and supplies to the most affected areas is decided.

The first teams have been mobilized to Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, Caldas, and Chocó. The priority is in buildings where there are signs of people alive, especially in Pereira and Cali, although there are also ongoing interventions in Manizales, Quibdó, and other municipalities near the epicenter.

Bogotá has put its capabilities at the service of the rest of the country after completing the first inspections without detecting serious structural damage in the capital. A hundred rescuers are prepared to move to the CATAM air base and depart for the cities determined by the Government.

Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán has also offered machinery and specialized equipment. Antioquia has made aircraft available for the operation, while fire departments from different departments prepare reliefs to maintain searches during the night.

Operations are carried out among unstable structures and under the risk of new aftershocks. In Pereira, five hospitals are overwhelmed by the arrival of injured people and teams are working in 15 buildings where people may still be inside. Several people also remain trapped in the city's cable car system, although authorities assure they are out of immediate danger.

In Cali, emergency services have intervened in homes, businesses, hotels, and health centers. The Mayor's Office has requested specialized reinforcements from Bogotá and Medellín, as well as heavy machinery to remove large pieces of concrete without compromising the voids where survivors could be found.

Ecuador offers 47 specialists and Latin America prepares aid

Ecuador has made the most concrete international offer so far. President Daniel Noboa has made available to Colombia a USAR team consisting of 47 rescuers, specialized dogs, and enough material to work autonomously for seven days.

The contingent belongs to the specialized group of the Quito Fire Department and remains prepared to mobilize when Colombia requests it. "Colombia, Ecuador is with you," Noboa affirmed when conveying his solidarity to the victims and their families.

Venezuela has also offered to send rescuers and humanitarian aid. Its Government has expressed its willingness to collaborate "in respect of Colombia's sovereignty," just weeks after suffering two earthquakes that caused thousands of deaths and required the deployment of one of the largest recent international operations in Latin America.

The gesture has a special dimension. Colombia then sent 62 specialists, four rescue dogs, and twelve tons of equipment to Venezuela aboard two Aerospace Force aircraft. That contingent worked for several days in La Guaira and other devastated areas.

The president of El Salvador, the ultra Nayib Bukele, has announced that his country is ready to collaborate with rescue teams, doctors, paramedics, supplies, and any other resources requested by the Colombian authorities. The Salvadoran Government has recent experience after sending a large health and emergency contingent to the earthquake in Venezuela.

Brazil has also expressed its willingness to provide support. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed his solidarity with the families of the deceased and has assured that his Government remains prepared to respond to the needs communicated by Bogotá.

"I received with concern the news of the strong earthquake that hit Colombia today," said the Brazilian president. Lula has conveyed the support of the people of Brazil to all those affected and has left open the possibility of sending emergency assistance.

Mexico maintains contact with its Embassy in Bogotá and with the Colombian representative in Mexico City. President Claudia Sheinbaum has guaranteed "all the support required" by the Colombian people and has assured that her Government remains attentive to the evolution of the emergency.

Latin American offers must be channeled through the Foreign Ministry and the UNGRD. Colombia will decide what teams it needs, in which cities they can work, and which entry routes are available, as eight airports have suspended operations due to structural damage or the emission of ash from the Puracé volcano.

United States, Israel, and Ukraine convey their support

The Donald Trump Administration has assured that it is closely monitoring the evolution of the earthquake and is prepared to help. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has conveyed the offer directly to the Government of Abelardo de la Espriella and has asked US citizens present in Colombia to register in the STEP consular system.

Washington has not yet specified the number of specialists, the amount of possible aid, or the material it could send. The United States has urban search and rescue teams capable of deploying in major disasters, although any operation will depend on a formal request from the Colombian authorities.

Israel has also offered "all the assistance" it can provide. Its Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa'ar, has contacted the Colombian Foreign Minister, Omar Bula, and has stated that his country is prepared to collaborate in emergency efforts.

The Israeli offer may include medical personnel, technology to locate people among the rubble, and rescue teams, although its Government has not yet detailed a possible contingent. The Colombian Foreign Ministry has thanked the message and keeps diplomatic contact open.

From Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed his solidarity with Colombia and Ecuador. The Ukrainian president has asked countries with the capacity to help to step forward given the severity of the damage and the existence of trapped people.

"We stand in full support and solidarity with the people of Colombia and all those who have been affected by this disaster," Zelenskyy said. His message conveys political support, but does not currently include the dispatch of a Ukrainian team.

The Spanish representation in Colombia has also activated its information channels. The Consulate General of Spain in Bogotá and the Embassy have asked Spanish citizens to follow security recommendations and consult only the advisories of the Colombian Geological Service and the UNGRD.

The consular authorities will continue to disseminate updates on displacements, communications, and possible incidents affecting Spaniards. As of the close of this information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not announced Spanish victims, a shipment of aid, or the mobilization of AECID teams.

The Colombian Foreign Ministry keeps contacts open with all governments that have offered assistance. National teams continue to remove rubble in Pereira, Cali, Manizales, and Chocó while Bogotá decides which foreign contingents it needs and at what points they can join the rescue efforts.