UN seeks 148 million dollars following earthquake in Colombia

On August 21, 2026, the United Nations made an extra appeal to the international community to raise an additional 148 million dollars for Colombia. The request comes following the impact of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake centered in Chocó.

Casualties and material damage toll

Almost two weeks after the tremor, the figures reflect the magnitude of the tragedy in the country. There were 321 fatalities recorded, more than 4,590 injured, and 257 people who remain missing. In addition, more than 31,445 homes were destroyed, and the infrastructure for basic and community services suffered damage.

Objectives of the financial assistance

The initiative seeks to directly assist the 284,000 people affected by the powerful tremor. The resources are also intended to rebuild the destroyed homes and repair the damaged basic and community service infrastructure caused by the seismic movement.

Extreme priority health needs

Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, detailed the urgency of allocating targeted resources. There is a subgroup of extreme priority needs requiring 82 million dollars to support 127,000 highly vulnerable people. The organization identified the health sector as having the greatest urgencies, followed by food, nutrition, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, emergency education, and protection.

Pre-existing humanitarian complications

The earthquake deepened structural deficiencies in areas that were already facing complex conditions. The overlay of the natural disaster with problems in Colombia included families already suffering from armed conflict and limited access to basic services and livelihoods, especially in rural areas and on the Pacific coast.

Funding and mobilized resources

This extraordinary request acts as a complement to the annual humanitarian plan outlined for the country. For 2026, the organization had originally requested 472 million dollars, an amount 62% funded to date. For the specific contingency of the earthquake, international donors mobilized 35 million dollars, in addition to another 5 million dollars disbursed by the UN itself from its emergency fund.

With information from El Colombiano.