Colombia quake: Aid groups race to reach children and families in Chocó

A day after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked western Colombia, aid organizations are scrambling to reach survivors, with a particular focus on protecting children. The temblor, which struck early in the morning as families were preparing for the day, has left at least 111 people dead and damaged or collapsed roughly 1,600 buildings across cities including Cali, Quibdó, and Pereira.

Bárbara Melo, Coordinator of Communications at World Vision Colombia, described the scene as deeply distressing. "The images are very shocking. Buildings collapsing," she said, noting that airports near the affected coffee-growing region have been closed. The epicenter of the quake was in Chocó, one of Colombia's poorest and most marginalized departments, where many communities are accessible only by boat or small aircraft.

Melo stressed the urgency of the situation, saying, "A lot of people are in need right now." Search and rescue operations are underway, and many families are sifting through rubble or using citizen-run websites to locate missing relatives.

A key priority for aid teams is establishing child-friendly spaces. "Children are the most affected by this situation that they are not prepared for," Melo explained. These safe zones will offer children who have lost their parents or been separated from them a place to play and recover a sense of normalcy. "We know that the well-being of the children is going to be our number one priority in the next couple of hours and the next couple of days," she added.

World Vision has worked in Colombia since 1978 and is drawing on experience from recent emergencies in the region. Melo noted that the collective memory of past disasters has brought people together in shared grief, even as the immediate needs remain immense. President Abelardo de la Espriella traveled to Quibdó on Monday night to assess the damage firsthand.