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Humanitarian partners are seeking $135 million to respond to needs created by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake, which struck on 10 August, according to a new addendum to the UN\u2019s 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Colombia.<\/p>\n
The response aims to reach 671,000 people<\/strong>, initially concentrating on the hardest-hit departments of Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, Choc\u00f3 and Caldas.<\/p>\n Speaking from Quibd\u00f3, the capital of Choc\u00f3 and one of the areas worst affected, Jean-Philippe Antolin, a humanitarian response and recovery specialist with the UN migration agency (IOM), said the full extent of the disaster was still emerging.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are communities that haven\u2019t been accessed yet, or have only been accessed once<\/strong>,\u201d he told reporters at UN Headquarters in New York.<\/p>\n \u201cPretty much everything is still urgent.\u201d<\/p>\n Latest government figures cited by UN agencies indicate that more than 300 people have been killed, 426 remain missing<\/strong> and more than 4,500 have been injured across 472 municipalities in 15 departments.<\/p>\n More than 134,000 homes have been damaged and nearly 30,000 destroyed, while at least 413 roads have been affected<\/strong>, complicating access to some communities.<\/p>\n For many families, even homes that remain standing cannot yet be considered safe.<\/p>\n \u201cFrom outside, some might not look affected. But if you go inside, you will see cracks everywhere,\u201d Mr. Antolin said.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople are sleeping outside for fear of the roof collapsing over their heads.\u201d<\/p>\n He said structural assessments were urgently needed so families could then start returning safely.\u00a0<\/p>\n IOM has identified at least 71 temporary collective accommodation sites housing around 4,700 people across Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Choc\u00f3 and Caldas. Others are staying with relatives, renting accommodation or living in improvised spaces.<\/p>\n Mr. Antolin warned that formal shelters should not become \u201cmagnets\u201d for assistance while families staying elsewhere go without help.<\/p>\n Recent heavy rains in several earthquake-affected areas, including Pereira, Buenaventura and Quibd\u00f3, are worsening conditions for families in temporary or improvised shelters.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rain is also making it easier for vector-borne diseases to spread, such as dengue,\u201d Mr. Antolin warned.<\/p>\n In Choc\u00f3, overflowing water sources and exposure to contaminated water are also increasing the risk of diarrhoeal and respiratory illnesses.<\/p>\n Across affected areas, at least 50 hospitals have suffered severe damage, while disruptions to electricity, water, oxygen, medical supplies and transport are piling more pressure on health services.<\/p>\n Beyond the immediate emergency, the impact on rural livelihoods remains largely unknown.<\/p>\n The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said there was a \u201ccritical information gap\u201d over damage to crops, livestock, artisanal fishing, irrigation systems and harvests.<\/p>\n Many affected rural, riverine and coastal communities depend heavily on family farming and artisanal fishing, but the full extent of the destruction has yet to be established.<\/p>\n FAO also warned that the earthquake coincided with crop planting and harvesting in some areas, meaning the loss of a production cycle could leave families with fewer resources for the next season.<\/p>\n UN agencies are expanding assistance as needs continue to emerge:<\/p>\n Although recovery efforts are beginning, Mr. Antolin stressed that immediate humanitarian needs remain acute.<\/p>\n \u201cRecovery starts from day one,\u201d he said. \u201cBut it takes time. It\u2019s been only ten days.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFearing collapse<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Rain aids disease spread<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Rural impact still unclear<\/strong><\/h2>\n
UN response scales up<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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