In his address to the nation, Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella announced that the number of victims has reached 111. He said that all government resources have been mobilized to save lives, assist the affected population, and deliver aid to the necessary areas.
"The primary task is to rescue people trapped under the rubble," said the President.
De La Espriella traveled to Quibdó, the capital of the Pacific coast province of Chocó, and promised rental subsidies to citizens who lost their homes. He then headed to Cali, the largest city in western Colombia.
The President was expected to update the number of victims nationwide on the evening of August 10. However, he only provided data for the province of Valle del Cauca, where Cali is located. According to him, 35 people died and 700 were injured in this region.
Some local media reported that the number of victims nationwide had reached 132. However, the source of this figure is unclear.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of 107 kilometers. Colombia's Geological Service reported that it was the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in the 21st century.
After the earthquake, rescuers and volunteers continued searching for people trapped under the rubble.
A curfew was imposed in the cities of Cali, Armenia, and Manizales. Cali's mayor stated that police and military had been deployed to the streets due to the risk of looting. The President promised to send an additional 1,000 security personnel to the city.
The Cali government also postponed the "Petronio Álvarez" festival dedicated to Pacific music. The festival was supposed to begin on August 12.
In Pereira, where the earthquake was strongly felt, a young child was trapped under the rubble of a bakery. In Manizales, one of the side towers of the famous neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed.
Rescuers, police, and volunteers are clearing the rubble by hand, searching for survivors. In Cali, firefighters rescued two women and two children from a collapsed building.
Colombia's Civil Aviation Authority temporarily suspended operations at the airports of Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura. Meanwhile, engineers are inspecting the safety of the facilities.
Colombia is located in the Pacific "Ring of Fire." Thousands of mostly weak earthquakes are recorded in the country every month.
Northwestern University seismologist Susan van der Lee said that the earthquake's strong magnitude, its occurrence inland, and the thrust-type tectonic movement may have increased destruction in densely populated areas.
Colombia's Geological Service reported that 21 aftershocks had been recorded by the evening of August 10 and warned that more earthquakes could occur.
Rescue operations are currently ongoing in the country. The main focus is on searching for those trapped under buildings destroyed by the earthquake, providing assistance to the injured, and ensuring security in the affected areas.
