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Colombia·Latin America·Natural Disaster

Colombian earthquake death toll reaches 289 as new president faces scrutiny over foreign aid refusal

Monday, 17 August 2026, 06:41 · 1 min read

A magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on July 10 has killed at least 289 people, affecting 11 of the country's 32 departments, according to figures released on Sunday. The disaster has cast a harsh early light on newly inaugurated far-right president Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office just days before the quake and declared a public calamity while suspending planned national tours to respond to the crisis. Most controversially, his government rejected search-and-rescue teams from most foreign nations, accepting help only from the United States, Israel, Ecuador, and El Salvador — all ideologically aligned with the new administration — a decision announced more than two days after the earthquake, as the critical 72-hour survival window for trapped victims was nearly closed.

Sources
Folha de S.PauloTremor na Colômbia expõe face ideológica de Espriella em sua 1ª semana no cargo ↗︎
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