Colombia quake death toll rises to 273

Bogota, Aug 14 (IANS) The death toll from Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia has risen to 273, David Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, said.

“We have the report of 40,753 affected families, 97,515 affected people and 273 deaths. Of those 273 deaths, 250 bodies have arrived at Legal Medicine, 227 have been identified and 189 have been handed over to their families,” Tamayo told a press conference.

He also said the quake left 3,824 people injured and 377 missing.

In terms of infrastructure, Tamayo said 12,584 homes had been destroyed and 74,873 damaged. He also said that the earthquake caused 172 buildings to collapse and affected 2,198 schools and educational institutions, 825 community centers, 216 health centers and five airports, Xinhua news agency reported.

Colombia is using satellite technology and high-resolution images to monitor the damage caused by the earthquake.

On the ground, search and rescue teams continued working with rescue dogs to locate missing people under the rubble.

The Colombian Geological Service said a new 4.2-magnitude tremor was recorded Thursday at 9:42 a.m. local time (1442 GMT) in San Jose del Palmar, in the northwestern department of Choco, which was the epicenter of Monday’s earthquake.

Meanwhile, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and its partners continue to support the government-led response to the devastating earthquake in Colombia, said the office.

Widespread damage to homes and public infrastructure has also been reported, OCHA said in its daily news update.

Humanitarian assessments are ongoing, particularly in the hardest-hit areas, where disruptions to communications, transport and public services continue to hinder relief efforts. Emergency shelter, food assistance, access to safe drinking water and health care for affected communities are among the top priorities, the office said.

The United Nations and its partners are also mobilising resources. The World Food Programme is sending food, while the World Health Organization is dispatching medical supplies from its warehouses in the country, OCHA said.

–IANS

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