Brussels.- The European Union (EU) has activated its consular assistance system and its Copernicus satellite service to assist Colombia following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that has already left more than one hundred dead, the head of EU diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, reported this Tuesday.
“The EU has mobilized Copernicus, our satellite service, to support rescue and relief operations. We are providing funding to support the response, among other means through the Red Cross,” Kallas indicated in a message on her social media.
Likewise, he said that the EU has activated the EU consular assistance mechanism in crisis situations “to help EU citizens affected by the catastrophe“.
Read more: Germany expresses its support for the Colombian people after the devastating earthquake
The Estonian politician noted that she has conveyed the EU’s condolences to the Colombian authorities. “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, the injured, and everyone affected,” she said.
On Monday night, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that “the heart of Europe is with the Colombian people after the terrible earthquake that occurred in the Chocó region.”
“We have already activated Copernicus, our satellite service, to help with rescue operations. And we are ready to offer more support. We are with you,” emphasized Von der Leyen on social media.
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, spoke in the same terms. “Europe stands in solidarity with Colombia in these difficult times,” she added.
For her part, European Commission spokesperson Eva Hrncirova specified this Tuesday at an institution press conference that they have already provided initial emergency aid through their humanitarian partner on the ground, the German Red Cross, and that 100,000 euros have been allocated for initial assistance to the population of the affected region.
He recalled that, after being activated, the Copernicus satellite mapping system can help Colombian authorities assess the extent of the catastrophe.
“Obviously, they have activated our civil protection mechanism, so, at this stage, we would need to know a little better the scope of the catastrophe, the needs and what is required on the ground, and we are mobilizing our support to Colombia,” he concluded.
The earthquake, which has already left at least 169 dead and 668 injured, had its epicenter in the town of San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó (west), at a distance of more than 300 kilometers from Bahía Solano, in the Pacific region.
