President Abelardo de la Espriella outlines reconstruction plans as humanitarian aid reaches remote Colombian earthquake zones.
President Abelardo de la Espriella has begun outlining a long and complex reconstruction task for Colombia following a major earthquake. The administration announced that the state and private sector will work together to provide rental subsidies, public service relief, and a plan to rebuild or improve damaged homes for the 115,461 people affected across 15 departments. Humanitarian aid, including food, water, medicine, and hygiene products, has begun arriving in remote areas such as Buenaventura, Pereira, and the Chocó department. The National Army's 13th Brigade collected 45 tons of aid in Bogotá and Cundinamarca to support the Coffee Axis and Pacific Coast. International support is also arriving, with teams from Virginia and California and 82 soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces are assisting with search and rescue operations. The earthquake left 294 dead, 3,935 injured, and 320 missing, while damaging thousands of homes, schools, and roads.