A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday has left at least 111 people dead and reduced hundreds of buildings to rubble, sending members of the Philadelphia area’s Colombian community into a frantic effort to contact loved ones and rally relief supplies.
The disaster came just days after a new president was sworn in to lead Colombia, and one Colombian official noted that the political transition is complicating an already strained response effort.
For Philadelphia-area Colombians, the catastrophic quake unleashed hours of anxiety as families tried desperately to gather news from relatives overseas.
“In the beginning, it’s just a fear,” said Jael Conde, vice chair of Accion Colombia in Philadelphia. “You don’t know what’s happening. You don’t know how is your family, your friends, everyone back home.”
Conde confirmed that her relatives , including those living in the hardest-hit regions , eventually checked in safe.
“Everyone is safe, thankfully; even family members who were in the affected areas were fine, thank God,” Conde said.
Not everyone was as fortunate in getting through.
“It was very close to our city, Pereira, so we start to call the family, everybody, but we cannot get in touch,” said Sandra Bruce, owner of Los Parceros Steakhouse in Pennsauken Township.
Authorities anticipate that the death toll and damage assessments will climb, especially in the department of Chocó near the quake’s epicenter.
“That is one of the poorest areas in the country, so we still don’t have all the information because connectivity is not good. There is not enough hospitals and so on,” said Paula Moreno, president of Manos Visibles and Colombia’s former minister of culture.
Moreno, who now heads the Bogotá-based nonprofit Manos Visibles, said that crippled communications networks, hospitals and airports have hampered the delivery of aid. She also circulated footage from Quibdó showing widespread destruction.
“It’s a lot of devastation because, of course, the buildings and houses were not built for this kind of environmental incident that we are facing,” Moreno said.
“Many people lost their homes, many are still looking for their people, half of these schools just collapsed. I know so many children are lost because they were going to the school when this happened.”
With more than 10,000 Colombians calling the Philadelphia area home, leaders from Colombian, Venezuelan and other Hispanic community organizations have been discussing how to coordinate assistance for those impacted. Conde said the groups were gathering Monday night.
“In the beginning, obviously to help with emergencies but eventually we’re going to have to help the families rebuild,” Conde said. “It’s not a situation in which you can help for a short period of time and expect a change. In these cases, there needs to be sustainable help.
Conde added that developing a long-term strategy to support the local community is equally vital, given the ongoing uncertainty of the situation as developments continue to unfold.
The Consulate General of Colombia in Newark is steering residents toward official Colombian Red Cross donation channels and urging Colombian nationals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to stay tuned to official communications as the crisis continues.