At least 132 people are reported dead after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday. The disaster has become the first major test for President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was sworn in three days earlier.
DR reports that the quake hit Monday morning local time. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó province in western Colombia. Rescue work continued through the night into Tuesday local time.
The US Geological Survey assessed the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.4. According to DR, it is the strongest quake to hit Colombia this century. The death toll of at least 132 was reported while search operations were still underway, meaning the figure may change.
As reported by the AP and cited by DR, around 1,600 buildings have been registered as damaged or collapsed. DR says special forces and assistance were being dispatched from both Bogotá and Medellín.
De la Espriella took office only days before the disaster. He has already promised money, aid and personnel for the relief effort. Per DR’s South America correspondent, Kristian Almblad, the new president must now demonstrate that he is the strong leader he presented himself as during the election campaign.
Almblad describes the affected region as historically marked by fighting between the Colombian army and the rebel group Farc. As a result, it is less developed than areas such as the capital. In practical terms, many houses in the poorer parts of the region are not built to withstand earthquakes of this size, he notes.
Comparison with the June quake in Venezuela
DR also draws a comparison with neighboring Venezuela, which was struck by a powerful earthquake in June. The death toll there has been revised upward repeatedly. Most recently, on Monday evening, the speaker of the country’s national assembly put the number above 6,300.
Although the Colombian quake was strong, much indicates it was far less devastating than the one in Venezuela, according to Almblad. He adds that Colombia is better equipped to handle this type of crisis. Unlike Venezuela, it is not a country that has been economically stalled for decades, he says.
DR is following developments in a live blog. The broadcaster frames the earthquake as an immediate test of the new administration’s crisis response, given that de la Espriella was sworn in just three days before the quake struck.
Colombian authorities have not published a final assessment of the damage. The reported number of dead and the count of damaged buildings both stem from figures released while rescue teams were still working at the scene.
