The director of Colombia’s disaster management agency UNGRD said Thursday that at least 273 people died and that 377 were missing from the region that was struck by a 7.4M earthquake on Monday.
According to UNGRD director David Tamayo, the earthquake affected a total of 97,515 people.
So far, rescue workers and neighbors were able to rescue 348 people from the rubble alive and 3,826 people were injured.
The earthquake, which was the strongest in a decade, destroyed 12,563 homes and damaged another 75,654.
At least 172 apartment buildings collapsed, said Tamayo.
Damaged public infrastructure
- 217 health centers and hospitals
- 2,206 educational facilities
- 825 community centers
- 226 roads
- 71 aqueducts
- 24 vehicular bridges
- 8 pedestrian bridges
- 5 airports
The disaster triggered President Abelardo de la Espriella to declare an economic emergency in the disaster area, and in the southern Putumayo and the eastern Norte de Santander province where no damages were reported.
This State of Exception allows the president to govern by decree when it comes to matters related to disaster relief and reconstruction in the affected area.
The State of Exception will last three months and can be extended by another three with congressional approval.
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