{"id":46787,"date":"2026-08-15T14:41:35","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:41:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=46787"},"modified":"2026-08-15T14:41:35","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:41:35","slug":"colombia-grapples-with-rebuilding-a-shattered-nation-after-a-deadly-earthquake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=46787","title":{"rendered":"Colombia grapples with rebuilding a shattered nation after a deadly earthquake"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/08\/14\/APTOPIX_Colombia_Earthquake_492_6_s1440x960.jpg?f72536d07237fdd262042ae8f5e6e6de3b865f3c\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/cali\/\">CALI<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a> \u2014 As the search for survivors in the rubble of a devastating earthquake winds down, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a> faces another challenge: rebuilding a nation shattered by a disaster that killed at least 285 people and affected more than 100,000.<\/p>\n<p>Tens of thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed, according to the government. Authorities have also reported damage to thousands of schools, medical facilities and community centers in more than 400 cities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no place to live, we lost everything,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/ebert-jonathan-morales\/\">Ebert Jonathan Morales<\/a>, 38, said Friday in a shelter in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/cali\/\">Cali<\/a>, one of the hardest-hit cities along with Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo.<\/p>\n<p>Morales is one of the 102,263 people whose lives have been upended by the 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the South American country Monday. The government says more than 280 people died, nearly 4,000 people were injured and hundreds remain missing. Private groups estimate the number of missing is in the thousands.<\/p>\n<p>Morales said he, his wife and four children are trying to rebuild from scratch.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe earthquake destroyed several neighborhoods in the city. Many houses were damaged, and buildings collapsed,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are going to stay here until the government gives us some help, some support.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>The government focuses on providing shelter<\/h3>\n<aside>\n<\/aside>\n<p>The devastation has tested <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia\u2019s<\/a> President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/abelardo-de-la-espriella\/\">Abelardo de la Espriella<\/a>, who was inaugurated just days before the earthquake shook the country\u2019s west. De la Espriella acknowledged Thursday night that \u201cthe situation is complex\u201d and announced a plan to partner with private companies to rebuild the nation, as well as subsidies for families who are homeless.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will not overcome this tragedy alone as a government,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need the private sector to rebuild <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a> together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Monday\u2019s earthquake was the most powerful to hit <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a> this century. Government aid has yet to arrive in some areas, where many people are relying on volunteers and neighbors for help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA neighbor is giving me shelter,\u201d Olga Castro, a mother of five in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/cali\/\">Cali<\/a>, told The Associated Press. \u201cAt least we survived, but right now we are practically on the street because we don\u2019t have a home anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>De la Espriella said national and international funds raised in response to the disaster will focus on the reconstruction of hospitals, schools, homes, roads and airports.<\/p>\n<p>Rebuilding the country requires a \u201cserious technical assessment\u201d to determine which buildings can be used, which can be repaired and which must be demolished and rebuilt, said Yezid Alvarado Vargas, a professor in construction engineering at Javeriana University, in Bogota, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore even discussing reconstruction, we must guarantee temporary housing, food, healthcare, continuity of basic services and economic support for families who lost their homes or livelihoods,\u201d Alvarado said.<\/p>\n<p>In Bogot\u00e1, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia\u2019s<\/a> capital, around 500 volunteers gathered at a reception center to sort food, toiletries and pet food before distributing the supplies in the most affected areas. From youngsters to the elderly, everyone diligently participated in the challenging relief efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all have to help. Today is for you, tomorrow might be for me,\u201d volunteer Jorge Mu\u00f1oz, 85, said. One of the oldest helpers at Bogot\u00e1\u2019s Vive Claro aid collection, Mu\u00f1oz has witnessed the devastation caused by other earthquakes, including one in 1999 that killed more than 1,180 people.<\/p>\n<h3>National and international aid keeps coming<\/h3>\n<p>Local authorities opened schools, parks and public buildings as shelters, providing tents, mattresses and food to the displaced. In other parts of the hardest-hit cities, residents improvised shelters in the streets, while hundreds of volunteers rush to help those in greatest need, particularly in less accessible areas.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese are isolated, neglected territories, historically lacking in institutional support, already plagued by violence, and now they are hit by an earthquake of this magnitude,\u201d said Mar\u00eda Mercedes Li\u00e9vano, director of Save the Children in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a crisis on top of a crisis, leaving the population in a situation of extreme vulnerability,\u201d she added, citing communities including Buenaventura, the country\u2019s main port, and Choc\u00f3, the earthquake\u2019s epicenter.<\/p>\n<p>Many buildings in Pereira have limited or no access to electricity and water, and volunteers have been delivering hygiene kits to displaced families in the city\u2019s shelters, said Pamela Londo\u00f1o, a technical adviser with Project HOPE. Of the five or six shelters in the city, at least one is already full and no longer accepting new residents. The nonprofit is also assessing medical supply needs.<\/p>\n<p>Other areas are also suffering, such as the town of Roldanillo, where approximately 60% of residents do not have access to clean water.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe main concern is the lack of basic services for multiple communities,\u201d Londo\u00f1o said. \u201cThis is a really critical situation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>De la Espriella visited several cities to track relief efforts and aid distribution, including Quibd\u00f3, in the Choc\u00f3 region, and Pereira. Authorities are still waiting for tons of supplies and humanitarian aid from countries that have pledged their support, including Peru, China, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to reporters in Quibd\u00f3, de la Espriella proposed implementing a Marshall Plan &#8211; the 1948 U.S. initiative that provided $13.3 billion to help European nations rebuild their economies after World War II.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy heart, my strength and my spirit are with all the victims and with all these territories that have been forgotten and now devastated by nature,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must rebuild them. There is a great task ahead and I am committed to it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p>                        <a name=\"pagebreak\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Suarez reported from Bogota, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/topics\/colombia\/\">Colombia<\/a> and Batschke reported from Santiago, Chile.<\/p>\n<div class=\"permission\" style=\"padding-top: 25px;\">\n<p>Copyright \u00a9 2026 The Washington Times, LLC.\n                        <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CALI, Colombia \u2014 As the search for survivors in the rubble of a devastating earthquake winds down, Colombia faces another challenge: rebuilding a nation shattered by a disaster that killed at least 285 people and affected more than 100,000. Tens of thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed, according to the government. Authorities have also&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46788,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/twt-thumbs.washtimes.com\/media\/image\/2026\/08\/14\/APTOPIX_Colombia_Earthquake_492_6_c0-292-7008-4380_s1200x700.jpg?29408564c43aec7127842b1b331df63480dcfb5f","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news-hub"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46787","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46787"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46787\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/46788"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46787"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46787"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46787"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}