Cali to investigate potential flaws or corruption in buildings collapsed by 7.4 earthquake

Cali's mayor, Alejandro Eder, has initiated a comprehensive investigation into buildings that collapsed during a recent 7.4 magnitude earthquake, seeking to determine if construction codes, engineering practices, inspections, or corruption played a role. The decision stems from the authorities' concern over the number of relatively new buildings that failed during the seismic event.

"The number of buildings that fell, which are relatively new, catches my attention. This requires an investigation," Eder stated. He has already engaged with representatives from the Colombian Society of Engineers and experts from the Universidad del Valle to conduct an independent technical assessment. The goal is to ascertain whether the constructions adhered to current standards or if irregularities occurred at any stage of their development.

"We are going to conduct a thorough expert review to understand what happened, verify if there was corruption, if shortcuts were taken during the construction of the buildings, or if there was inadequate inspection or oversight of them. We want to know all of this to take measures," the mayor declared. The scale of the damage has prompted the city to enhance its structural evaluations. To date, the mayor's office has received 7,797 citizen reports regarding affected homes or properties. Additionally, 46 buildings have completely collapsed, 177 have partially collapsed, and 197 show structural damage.

More than 50 teams of structural engineers are currently conducting detailed inspections, having thoroughly reviewed 920 buildings. Approximately 400 of these exhibit serious structural problems or some form of partial collapse, with some potentially requiring demolition. Local authorities are also deploying teams for preliminary assessments to identify which properties need specialized review. "The emergency does not end with the recovery of victims or the stabilization of structures; a reconstruction phase is now opening in which it will be necessary to establish responsibilities and correct possible failures that have been exposed," Eder emphasized.