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🇪🇨 Ecuador /Disasters & Emergencies

Ecuador sends 30 tons of humanitarian aid to Colombia after earthquake

From El Comercio · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • Ecuador sent 30 tons of humanitarian aid to Colombia to assist families affected by a recent earthquake.
  • The aid package includes tents, mattresses, hygiene items, and diapers, transported by five institutional trucks.
  • Colombian officials highlighted Ecuador's support as crucial, noting the earthquake exceeded Colombia's response capacity.

Ecuador has dispatched 30 tons of essential humanitarian aid to Colombia following a devastating earthquake. The assistance, coordinated by Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, departed in five institutional trucks, crossing the Rumichaca International Bridge and reaching Ipiales, Colombia.

The cargo contains vital supplies such as tents, mattresses, hygiene products, diapers, soap, towels, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. These items are intended to provide provisional shelter and support to families who lost their homes or were impacted by the seismic event.

Ecuadorian authorities collected and processed the goods at two centers in Quito and Guayaquil before transporting them to the border. Carolina Lozano, Ecuador's Secretary of Risk Management, oversaw the delivery, with Colombian officials receiving the shipment at the Rumichaca International Bridge. The aid is expected to reach Buenaventura, one of the most affected areas, after an approximately 18-hour journey.

the earthquake exceeded the response capacity of Colombia and Ecuador's help represents important support.

— Gabriel PérezGabriel Pérez, of the National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management of Colombia, highlighted the Ecuadorian support.

Gabriel Pérez of Colombia's National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management emphasized the significance of Ecuador's support, stating that the earthquake's impact surpassed Colombia's immediate response capabilities. The Colombian Army's 20th Special Energy and Road Battalion will escort the trucks to the affected zones in Buenaventura. The supplies will be stored for about 24 hours before distribution.

In addition to material aid, Ecuador also sent 31 rescuers and five structural engineers to aid in post-earthquake response efforts. Pérez also proposed binational drills, particularly focusing on volcanic risks, given the shared border and exposure to such emergencies, as well as tsunamis. The magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which occurred on August 10, has officially resulted in 314 deaths, 262 disappearances, and 4,437 injuries in Colombia, with 364 people rescued.

the Armed Forces will escort the five trucks to the areas that need assistance in Buenaventura.

— Colonel Luis ErazoColonel Luis Erazo, commander of the Colombian Army's 20th Special Energy and Road Battalion, stated that the Armed Forces would escort the aid.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Comercio in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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