The victim balance of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale that shook the northwest of Colombia on Monday has increased to 265 deceased and nearly 3,500 injured, according to updated data this Wednesday from the country's authorities.
"We have 25,872 affected families, 53,816 people, unfortunately 265 deceased, 3,494 injured. And the number of missing persons has alarmingly risen to 496," reported the president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, at a press conference.
The newly appointed director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), David Tamayo, emphasized that "all available capacities" are being used for risk management, immediate assistance, and to "gradually move to the response phase."
Before sharing these words in a video on social media, Tamayo had explained in an appearance from the San Carlos Palace in Bogotá that the agency will "only" receive support for the search and rescue tasks from four countries: Israel, the United States, El Salvador, and Ecuador.
He specified that these states "meet all the international requirements" demanded for this type of mission. Nevertheless, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Omar Bula, stressed that no help offered from other places has been rejected. "We have absolutely not excluded any country, in terms of the offers that have been made to us. We work with countries without any ideological or political consideration," he defended.
Subsequently, the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed through a statement the "sending of a delegation of aid to Colombia" to assist in addressing the consequences of the earthquake, a decision that is made "after" the request from President Abelardo de la Espriella.
The National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences has indicated that, so far, it has received 202 bodies and has managed to identify 122 of the victims, including five minors.
This is still a provisional balance, as emergency teams continue to work among the rubble in the areas hardest hit by the earthquake, especially in the cities of Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, and Manizales.
As a gesture of tribute to the deceased, De la Espriella has proclaimed this Wednesday three days of national mourning throughout Colombian territory.