Giovanni Rizzo

The search for survivors after Colombia’s powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake continues amid immense strain on President Abelardo de la Espriella’s government and rescuers. The devastation has been complicated by ongoing issues of deep poverty and civil warfare, though international aid from the U.S., Mexico, and Salvadoran forces is arriving. Aid organizations are leveraging a 2016 peace accord to distribute materials in conflict-torn centers.

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, resulting in at least 181 deaths and injuring 2,595 people in the west. The search for survivors proved desperate, challenging President Abelardo de la Espriella's government amid ongoing struggles with deep poverty and armed conflict. International aid is flowing in from countries including the U.S., Mexico, and El Salvador to assist relief efforts.