After Earthquake in Colombia: Rescue Services Ask Population for Help Locating Those Buried Under Rubble

Foreign Minister Rejects Criticism

Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula emphasized that his country is accepting international support without ideological or political reservations. «Wir arbeiten mit anderen Ländern zusammen, ohne dabei ideologische oder politische Erwägungen anzustellen, und nehmen ihre Hilfe dankbar an», said Bula. The government was responding to domestic accusations that cooperation with certain countries had been blocked. Bula made clear that in a humanitarian emergency, every contribution counts.

The hardest-hit region is the area around the city of Cali as well as nearby San José del Palmar. Tremors have also been recorded in Pereira and other parts of the country. The national disaster authority UNGRD is coordinating operations on the ground and is in constant contact with municipal rescue services. Local authorities set up emergency shelters and provided water and basic medical care.

International Aid Offers

Several countries, including the United States, have offered Colombia assistance. According to information from Bogotá, search dogs, specialized equipment for locating those buried under rubble, and field medical teams are being provided. Aircraft carrying aid supplies are already en route, according to the Foreign Ministry. Some aid deliveries have arrived in the past hours, while others are about to land.

Colombian lawyer Abelardo de la Espriella, meanwhile, voiced criticism of the crisis management and accused the government of failures in preparing for natural disasters. He called for an independent investigation of the procedures and spoke of organizational failure at the national level. The government rejected the accusations, pointing to the ongoing rescue operations.

Situation in Cali and Surroundings

Eyewitnesses in Cali reported collapsed residential buildings and damaged streets. Many residents spent the night outdoors, fearing aftershocks. Volunteer helpers spontaneously organized collection points for drinking water, baby food, and blankets. In several neighborhoods, community groups formed to clear debris and care for the injured.

The UNGRD called on the population to avoid panic and to follow official instructions. In addition to airplane mode for mobile phones, these include refraining from unnecessary car trips so that emergency vehicles have clear passage. The authority explicitly rejected false reports circulating on social media about alleged further severe earthquakes.

Outlook on Reconstruction

International aid organizations such as the Red Cross deployed emergency teams. Neighboring countries also pledged medical assistance and logistics. According to the Colombian government, aid operations will continue until all those buried under rubble have been recovered and the damage has been assessed. According to the UNGRD, the cleanup work will take several weeks.

The exact number of victims is still unclear. Authorities do not expect reliable figures until rescue operations are completed. Initial provisional estimates point to several dead and numerous injured. Among the injured are also children, who are being treated in hospitals in Cali and Pereira, according to the information provided.

In the coming days, a special cabinet is to decide on further aid measures and the reconstruction of the affected infrastructure. The president and government announced that affected families would receive financial support and that damaged schools would be restored as quickly as possible. The opposition simultaneously called for a special program for earthquake preparedness.