Just weeks after twin earthquakes devastated Venezuela, neighboring Colombia suffered its own deadly temblor Monday, leaving responders, volunteers and loved ones desperately searching for missing people and tending to those displaced or injured.The 7.4 magnitude earthquake affected a large swath of western Colombia, from urban centers like Cali and Pereira to remote and rugged areas in the department of Chocó. As of Thursday evening, authorities had confirmed more than 280 dead, thousands injured and nearly 11,000 dwellings destroyed. Responders have managed to rescue nearly 350 people, but hundreds are still missing.Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has promised a robust governmental response. But with so much need spread across a large area, aid groups will also play important roles helping those needing shelter, supplies and economic assistance.
Responders say helping Colombia with stronger democratic and civic institutions could be more straightforward than in Venezuela, where the interim government’s response was widely criticized. But the affected area in Colombia is also much larger, complicating efforts.“Institutional capacity does not remove the humanitarian need,” said Catalina Vargas, Colombia country director for the humanitarian group CARE. “The most severely affected area, Chocó, is also one of the most isolated and underserved parts of the country, so access remains the binding constraint regardless of the strength of national institutions.”
