US sends disaster team to Colombia after major earthquake

The United States announced on Tuesday the deployment of a disaster response team to Colombia to aid authorities after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country on Monday. The quake has claimed at least 181 lives and caused extensive damage to numerous buildings.

The State Department confirmed that the US administration and the American Embassy in Bogota are in direct contact with the new Colombian president, Abelardo de la Espriella. A Disaster Response Assistance Team (DART) was activated and arrived in Colombia on Tuesday to bolster critical government operations, programming, and overall response coordination.

President de la Espriella reported at least 181 fatalities from the earthquake. However, figures from affected departments and their capitals suggest the death toll could be as high as 240. The earthquake occurred at 07:34 local time on Monday, with its epicenter near the municipality of San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The tremors were felt across a large part of the country, causing severe damage in cities like Quibdó, Cali, Pereira, and Armenia.

The Trump administration, maintaining close ties with President de la Espriella's government, also announced $15.5 million in aid on Monday to address the emergency.