Bogotá.- More than 72 hours have passed since the 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook Colombia on Monday, a tragedy that has left at least 273 dead and 377 people remain missing, but the hope of finding more survivors under the rubble remains.
This is how the Cali ombudsman, Gerardo Mendoza, explained it to EFE, rejecting the use of heavy machinery on the collapsed buildings to prioritize the search and rescue tasks of the brigade members who arrived in the city, the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, one of the most affected by the earthquake.
“As long as there is hope for life, I resist the intervention of yellow (heavy) machinery. We must keep exploring, we must keep going. The last thing to be lost is faith,” Mendoza said by phone to EFE.
Cali has at least a hundred dead and dozens of residential and commercial buildings that collapsed or suffered severe damage, and Pereira, the capital of Risaralda, is in a similar situation.
According to the latest report from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the number of missing persons went from 496 the day before to 377 this Thursday, while the number of deaths and injuries continues to rise.
“Amidst everything that saddens us about this situation today, the most important thing is to keep fighting to find people alive. If time has already passed, we obviously have no hope of life (…) but so far I still see that there are minutes of silence to listen for any message,” insisted Mendoza.
«The problem is just beginning»
The municipal ombudsman’s office of Cali, an agency dependent on the Public Ministry, is working in coordination with the Mayor’s Office in the care of the injured and the families who lost their homes due to the earthquake.
“The problem is just beginning. What is going to happen with the buildings where there has to be a total eviction? This population largely corresponds to the middle class, which is currently hit hard,” stated Mendoza, who also suffered damage to his home as a result of the earthquake.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared an “economic emergency” on the eve, a measure that will allow for the creation of a “miracle fund” intended to channel resources “for the reconstruction of hospitals, educational centers, buildings, roads, and airports” affected by the earthquake.
“We are going to face an economic crisis, but we must be positive and we will emerge from it as a resilient city, as a city that must get back on the path to prosperity,” emphasized Mendoza.
