The United States is providing $15.5 million in emergency assistance to Colombia after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country's western region Monday, killing more than 100 people and leaving widespread destruction as rescue teams continued searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The U.S. assistance is among the first major international aid commitments announced following the Aug. 10 disaster, which Colombian authorities described as the country's strongest earthquake this century. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, but serious damage was reported across a wide area, including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales.
The $15.5 million U.S. commitment will support emergency relief efforts as Colombia confronts an evolving humanitarian crisis, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Other Latin American governments, including Mexico, Chile and El Salvador, have also offered assistance.
The death toll was climbing rapidly Monday as authorities reached areas initially cut off by damaged roads and communications. The Associated Press reported at least 111 deaths and 87 injuries, while hundreds of buildings were damaged or destroyed. Because rescue operations remained underway, officials warned that the number of casualties could continue to change.
Pereira was among the hardest-hit cities. Earlier in the day, Reuters reported at least 18 deaths there, with people trapped inside collapsed structures. Two additional deaths had been confirmed in Manizales at that stage of the emergency.
In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, buildings were damaged and residents rushed into the streets as the ground shook. The earthquake was powerful enough to be felt hundreds of miles from the epicenter, including in Bogotá and neighboring Ecuador and Panama.
Colombia's government declared a national emergency as rescue crews, firefighters, police and civilians searched damaged structures.
The situation has been particularly difficult in Chocó, where the mountainous terrain, limited transportation infrastructure, and communications disruptions have complicated efforts to determine the full extent of the destruction.
The disaster comes at a particularly difficult moment for northern South America. Colombia's earthquake follows the devastating earthquakes that recently struck neighboring Venezuela, raising concerns about humanitarian resources across the region.
For Washington, the emergency also adds a humanitarian dimension to the U.S.-Colombia relationship at a time of significant political change in Bogotá.
The State Department had already highlighted Colombia's exposure to earthquakes before Monday's disaster. Its current travel guidance notes that earthquakes are common throughout the country and that seismic events can also generate tsunami warnings along coastal areas. The guidance advises travelers to follow information from Colombia's Geological Service.
The U.S. Embassy in Bogotá also provides emergency assistance to American citizens affected by natural disasters and other crises. The State Department advises U.S. citizens abroad to contact the nearest embassy or consulate when they need emergency assistance during a major disaster.
The immediate focus in Colombia, however, remains finding survivors.
With dozens of structures collapsed and some remote communities still difficult to reach, the true scale of the catastrophe may take days to establish. The $15.5 million U.S. commitment provides an early infusion of international assistance, but the country's longer-term needs are likely to extend far beyond the initial rescue operation as authorities assess damaged homes, hospitals, roads and other critical infrastructure.
As aftershocks continue to pose a danger, Colombian authorities are urging residents in damaged areas to stay away from unstable structures while emergency teams race against time to reach people still trapped beneath the rubble.
