An initial assessment puts the cost of the damage caused by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on August 10 at approximately $9.57 billion. The figure was made public on Tuesday by Colombian President Abelardo de la Esprija.
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The effects of the tremors were felt across one-third of the country’s territory. The hardest-hit areas include cities along the Pacific coast and the region known for coffee cultivation, where thousands of homes, apartment buildings, schools and hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.
According to President De la Esprija, the estimate was prepared by a private company and is not a final figure. Authorities continue to collect information from the affected areas, so the value of the damage is expected to change.
“Imagine the scale of the destruction. This is a preliminary figure that will change as we receive more information and as the situation becomes clearer in each region,” he said.
One week after the disaster, emergency teams are continuing to clear the rubble, but the chances of finding people still alive are diminishing. The latest figures report 289 dead, 4,187 injured and 143 people missing.
The disaster is the first major test for De la Esprija’s right-wing government. He took office on August 7, just three days before the earthquake occurred.
The head of state announced that the Housing Minister had been tasked with implementing a “Wonderful Reconstruction Plan.” The initiative will be carried out in cooperation with construction and insurance companies, financial institutions, governors and mayors.
To address the aftermath and support reconstruction, Colombia has secured assistance from the United States, the European Union and international organizations, including the World Bank.
