WFP Ramps Up Emergency Food Aid for Colombia Earthquake Survivors

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has announced a major scale-up of its emergency operations in Colombia to assist communities devastated by last week's powerful earthquake. The agency is focusing its initial response on the hard-hit cities of Pereira and Quibdó, which it identifies as among the country's most affected and vulnerable regions.

Aid has already been distributed to 2,000 people in these two cities, with volunteers and officials from the WFP and Colombia's national disaster management agency (UNGRD) coordinating the delivery of supplies. The operation is set to expand significantly in the coming days.

Nils Grede, WFP Country Director in Colombia, stated that the agency believes it needs to support 100,000 people in total, with 40,000 of those residing in the Chocó department. "Two out of three Chocoans live in poverty, so they really need everyone's assistance," he said, highlighting the region's pre-existing vulnerabilities.

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck a vast area of western Colombia on August 10, claiming at least 287 lives and destroying more than 26,000 dwellings. Authorities report that 194 people remain missing, though other civilian-run databases suggest the number could be significantly higher, exceeding 4,100. The quake also damaged thousands of educational centers, disrupting schooling for countless children.

The epicenter was located in Chocó, one of Colombia's poorest regions, where at least 3,100 homes were destroyed, according to the regional government's latest report. In Pereira, temporary shelters have been erected, and the Colombian National Police Medical Mission has set up tents to provide healthcare to the displaced. The WFP's efforts are a critical lifeline for survivors facing food insecurity and displacement in the wake of the disaster.