Carlos Fernando Galán and local leaders coordinate recovery efforts following a major earthquake in the Valle del Cauca region.
The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, has expressed gratitude for the support provided to the city of Cali following a significant earthquake. The administration announced that companies from the Valle del Cauca region and those with operations in the department have committed $220 billion to support the emergency response and reconstruction of Cali, northern Valle, and Buenaventura. Local leaders reported that the earthquake caused significant damage across the region, with Cali recording 132 deaths and over 1,000 homes affected. Buenaventura, another heavily impacted area, reported 26 deaths and over 10,000 homes damaged. In the northern valley, the municipality of San José del Palmar, located near the epicenter, remains largely inaccessible by land. Other municipalities like Istmina and Valleverdeauca showed severe structural damage, and several schools have suspended classes. The mayor of Cali expressed his admiration for the USAR teams from the capital, which helped rescue over 88 people. Reconstruction efforts are ongoing, and several companies have already contributed significant funding to the emergency.
Sources
-
Terremoto en Colombia hoy 19 de agosto: UNGRD entregó nuevas cifras de afectaciones tras emergencia en San José del Palmar, Chocó
El Tiempo
-
Duerma informado con las claves de este 18 de agosto de 2026
La Silla VacĂa
-
Terremoto en Colombia: el balance de los municipios más afectados por el sismo
El Espectador
-
Medicina Legal revela en la noche de este 18 de agosto nuevo listado de fallecidos tras el sismo: estos son todos los nombres
elpais.com.co
-
Los duros relatos de los niños y niñas que sobrevivieron al terremoto de magnitud 7,4 en Buenaventura y Chocó
El Tiempo