UN Calls for $135 Million in Aid Following Devastating Colombia Earthquake

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, centered in Sipí, Chocó, and felt in cities including Cali, Armenia, Pereira, and Buenaventura. The United Nations reports that 1.2 million people require humanitarian assistance, with the UN and its partners seeking 135 million US dollars to respond to the emergency. Official figures indicate that more than 300 people have died, 426 remain missing, and over 4,500 were injured across 472 municipalities in 15 departments. The disaster caused extensive infrastructure damage, including more than 400 damaged roads and over 134,000 affected homes, with nearly 30,000 destroyed. In Antioquia, more than 3,300 homes were affected, particularly in the Suroeste and Oriente subregions. Additionally, nursing homes and care centers in Cali, Manizales, Pereira, and Dosquebradas suffered serious damage. Humanitarian teams are deployed, but access remains unequal due to logistical difficulties and heavy rains in areas like Quibdó, Buenaventura, and Pereira, which have also increased the risk of vector-borne diseases such as dengue. Center-right sources focused on the scale of the humanitarian crisis, the specific casualty counts, and the logistical challenges of delivering aid. In contrast, a center source framed the event as a failure of systemic prevention, arguing that the catastrophe resulted from a lack of scientific investment and a culture of reaction rather than resilience.