International News: Colombia declares State of Emergency after earthquake claims 319 lives

By Zoila Palma:  The Colombian government has declared a 30-day state of emergency across 15 regions following a powerful earthquake that has killed at least 319 people and left thousands injured.

The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said Thursday that more than 4,500 people were injured and another 260 remain missing.

President Abelardo de la Espriella said the emergency declaration will allow the government to mobilize funds more quickly for relief and reconstruction while redirecting state resources to the hardest-hit areas.

“The scale of this tragedy requires us to act on several fronts simultaneously,” he said.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, with Valle del Cauca, including the city of Cali, among the areas most severely affected.

Chocó and Risaralda also suffered significant damage, with authorities reporting that more than 31,000 homes were destroyed, another 163,000 damaged and more than 300 buildings collapsed.

Preliminary estimates from Colombia’s National Planning Office put the cost of reconstruction at approximately 40 trillion Colombian pesos, or about US$12 billion.

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