Now Reading: Colombia quake kills over 200, rescue teams race for survivors
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Colombia quake kills over 200, rescue teams race for survivors
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing over 200 people and damaging or collapsing around 1,600 buildings, according to local authorities. The quake hit Cali, Pereira, Quibdo, and…
The Story in Brief
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing over 200 people and damaging or collapsing around 1,600 buildings, according to local authorities. The quake hit Cali, Pereira, Quibdo, and Manizales, and was felt in Ecuador and Panama. Colombia's Geological Service called it the strongest recorded this century. By Monday night, more than 2,700 people were reported missing, with rescue teams and volunteers digging through rubble by hand. The epicentre was in San Jose del Palmar, Choco region, about 400 km west of Bogota.
The disaster is the first major challenge for President Abelardo de la Espriella, a Trump ally sworn in on August 7. Local officials report 80% damage in the town of El Cairo. The US has pledged $15.5 million in aid, and governments across Latin America are offering help. The quake follows devastating twin earthquakes in neighbouring Venezuela in June that killed over 6,000 people.
The Indian Opinion
Media often rush to call a disaster a 'test' for a new leader, as if earthquakes care about politics. President de la Espriella's pledge of an all-out crackdown on gangs is a wholly separate challenge. Let us watch how aid reaches Choco, one of Colombia's poorest and most neglected regions. The number of survivors pulled from the rubble in the next 48 hours will tell the real story, not headlines about presidential mettle.
Sources (3): thehindu.com, thehindu.com (2), thehindu.com (3)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 3 sources.
