Colombian partners assess earthquake damage

On August 10th at 7:34 a.m., Colombia was struck by a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in San José del Palmar in the western part of the country. The earthquake most severely affected the regions of Chocó, the coffee-growing region, Valle del Cauca, and Cauca.

As of August 13, authorities reported more than 250 fatalities and an undetermined number of missing persons. Hundreds of buildings and homes were destroyed by the earthquake, and others were rendered uninhabitable. Hospitals, schools, universities, churches, water and electricity systems, and roads were destroyed or damaged. Thousands of people were living in shelters or on the streets. The poorest and most isolated areas were receiving little formal assistance for rescue efforts or humanitarian aid.

Our partners FECODE, Nomadesc, and Sintracuavalle are conducting inspections and damage assessments. So far, we know that part of the roof at the Nomadesc office collapsed, but there have been no fatalities or injuries. These organizations also work with community groups in rural areas of the affected regions, and their project facilities may have been damaged by the earthquake.