While Colombia grapples with the aftermath of its highest-magnitude earthquake recorded in the 21st century, the music industry is mobilizing to support relief efforts.
Artists in the United States and Colombia are joining forces, using their influence and music to raise funds for organizations and communities that need support in rebuilding cities and assisting families in need.
Colombian artists including Maluma, Karol G, Feid and Carlos Vives and artists from other countries such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and Venezuela are participating in events and fundraisers, or simply using their nonprofits and social media for visibility and assistance as Colombia and Venezuela recover from devastating earthquakes.
On Monday, just six weeks after Venezuela was struck by two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude in June, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook Colombia’s Pacific Coast, with the epicenter in San José del Palmar, a city in the department of Chocó, 150 miles west of Bogotá. According to The Associated Press, as of Thursday, at least 281 people had died, 348 had been rescued, more than 3,900 had been injured, and nearly 400 remained missing. Civilian databases listed more than 4,200 people as missing. The earthquake destroyed 10,600 homes and damaged another 65,800. Rescue efforts continued Friday, though the likelihood of finding survivors was declining.
