Colombia earthquake toll climbs to 314

Ten days after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, the national disaster management unit reports 314 fatalities. The devastating tremor, which occurred on August 10, has also left 4,437 people injured and 262 individuals unaccounted for. Emergency teams continue search and rescue operations in the most severely impacted areas, having already saved 364 people.

The earthquake's impact on the population is substantial, with the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (Ungrd) estimating that 262,154 people, comprising 147,464 families, have been affected across 471 municipalities in 15 departments. The disaster has also caused widespread housing damage, with official figures indicating 30,664 homes completely destroyed and an additional 136,946 homes sustaining damage. In Cali and Pereira, 302 buildings collapsed.

Essential public infrastructure has not been spared. The Ungrd has recorded damage to 352 health centers, 3,470 educational institutions, and 4,971 community centers. Transportation networks and public utilities also suffered significant consequences, with reported damage to 449 roads, 105 aqueducts, 58 vehicular bridges, 13 pedestrian bridges, and five airports. The earthquake's epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, Chocó, in the Colombian Pacific region, with significant effects also felt in Caldas, Quindío, and Risaralda. This 7.4 magnitude quake is the strongest recorded in Colombia in the 21st century.