WorldColombia's Strongest Quake in Decades Leaves $108M Aid GapAired August 29, 2026 at 12:20 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00Colombia's strongest quake this century killed 331 people and left a $108 million0:05aid gap.0:06The UN's $148 million appeal for survivors is barely a quarter funded.0:12Armed groups block aid to the worst-hit regions.0:14Will the $108 million gap be filled in time, or will thousands remain unreachable?0:19The quake hit in the morning of August 10th, rocking nine departments and even felt0:23in Ecuador and Panama.0:24The depth is about 110 kilometers, though local agencies differ.0:28The UN quickly released emergency funds, but by the 19th, the government had0:32declared a wider emergency.0:33Then, on the 23rd, armed conflict added to the chaos.0:36The official toll, cut off on August 26th, stands at 331 dead, 4,4490:42injured, and 219 missing.0:44The appeal seeks $148.1 million for the response.0:49So far, international donors have given $35 million and a UN emergency fund $50:54million.0:54That leaves a gap of about $108 million.0:57The death toll is confirmed at 331 with over 4,000 injured.1:01Search teams rescued 364 people.1:04The missing count, however, is still uncertain.1:06It fell from over 400 as lists were deduplicated.1:09The scale of destruction is staggering.1:12More than 33,000 homes destroyed and nearly 188,000 damaged.1:17Health centers and schools were hit hard.1:19And hundreds of roads, aqueducts, and bridges were knocked out.1:23More than 400,000 children lost access to school, and over a million students were1:28affected.1:29Roughly 178,000 were in seriously damaged schools.1:33About 406,000 people, or roughly 193,000 families, are counted as directly1:38affected.1:39The humanitarian needs assessment puts more than 1.2 million people in need of1:43assistance.1:44The earthquake destroyed roads, bridges, and power lines, but the bigger barrier is1:48armed conflict.1:49In western Choco, the ELN and Clan Del Golfo are fighting for control, producing1:54mobility bans and confining hundreds of families.1:56As a result, many communities are completely cut off and aid cannot get through.2:00The humanitarian community has reached about 72,000 people with food, water, medical2:05care, and shelter across 36 municipalities.2:08The World Food Programme separately reported reaching 6,400 people with 66 tons of2:13food.2:14The epicenter was in the Choco department, but the shaking damaged areas across 162:19departments, with the worst hit being Risaralda, Vallia del Cauca, Choco, and2:24Caldas.2:25Deaths concentrated in Cali and Pereira.2:27President Della Espriela declared a national disaster via decree on August 10th and2:32an economic, social, and ecological emergency on August 19th.2:36Vice President Restrepo is coordinating aid and international cooperation.2:40A UN team led by Resident Coordinator Maria Jose Torres is on the ground and UN2:44Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher approved emergency funds.2:47Recovery planning is underway.2:49The UN Development Program is coordinating a damage and economic loss assessment2:53using satellite imagery.2:55166 high resolution images have been processed and overflights completed in 132:59municipalities, but no Finnish national economic loss report has a public date.3:04The government's first estimate of losses was about 30 trillion Colombian pesos,3:09roughly $9.6 billion, though that came from a private firm.3:13The hazards are not over.3:14Regional health authorities recorded 325 aftershocks by August 19th, the largest3:19magnitude 4.8.3:20Seismologists forecast a chance of further magnitude 4 plus events into September,3:25with significant landslide and liquefaction risk.3:28Wildfires in Tolima are complicating logistics.3:31Health facilities are stretched.3:33Hundreds were damaged and 50 are prioritized as threatening continuity of care.3:37Partners are supplying trauma care and generators rather than restoring full3:41hospital capacity.3:42The unresolved question is whether the money arrives at all.3:45The appeal is barely a quarter funded, and the single largest barrier to spending3:49what does exist is not cash, but armed control of the regions where the houses fell3:54hardest.3:54As the toll stands at 331 dead and the aid gap at $108 million, the survivors wait.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗