Colombia earthquake death toll climbs to 312, thousands injured
Colombia's 7.5-magnitude earthquake death toll has reached 312, with 4,611 injured and 290 missing, officials said Tuesday.
The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10 has risen to 312, with 4,611 people injured, according to the country's disaster management agency. The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported that as of Tuesday evening, 290 people remained missing while 358 others had been rescued.
The magnitude-7.5 quake was centered in San Jose del Palmar, in the western department of Choco. President Abelardo de la Espriella said Monday night that roughly one-third of the country had been affected by the disaster.
Preliminary estimates place direct economic losses at nearly 30 trillion Colombian pesos, approximately $9.6 billion. This includes 24.5 trillion pesos in building damage and 5.5 trillion pesos in infrastructure damage. The president noted that the figure is preliminary and will be revised as more information becomes available.
Search and rescue teams continue to work in areas where people may still be trapped under rubble. Humanitarian aid from within Colombia and from abroad is arriving in the hardest-hit regions, including Quimbaya, Cali, and Pereira, where rescue operations have been underway since the quake struck.