Colombia earthquake death toll rises to 273
Bogotá, Aug 13 (EFE).-The death toll from the earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday has risen to 273, while the number of missing has dropped from 496 to 377, David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), reported Thursday.
According to the latest national report, the Institute of Forensic Medicine (IML) has received 250 bodies, of which 227 have already been identified, and 189 have been returned to their families.
The earthquake, whose epicenter was in the town of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó in the Pacific region, has also left 3,824 people injured, 40,753 families affected, 12,584 homes destroyed, and 74,873 damaged.
Tamayo explained that 172 buildings have collapsed, 2,198 schools have been affected, and 216 health centers have been damaged.
The UNGRD is working with NASA and the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters to assemble an expert team in satellite technology to monitor the affected areas.
As part of the initial results of these partnerships, 166 high-definition satellite images were processed, enabling an assessment in the hardest-hit cities, such as Cali, Pereira, and Manizales.
In addition, Tamayo reported that they conducted aerial surveys over 13 departments, including Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, Quindío, and Chocó.
“All of this technical effort aims to strengthen the accurate assessment of damage on the ground, ensuring that authorities can make the most appropriate decisions to address the event that triggered the current emergency,” Tamayo noted. EFE
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