They've survived 2 major earthquakes in Colombia: "A sense of powerlessness"
Colombia earthquake survivors are facing major loss and a yearslong road to recovery filled with grief and uncertainty. Here's what responders say will happen next.
Two major earthquakes struck western Colombia, leaving a sense of powerlessness and devastation in their wake. Jahir Rodríguez, a retired urban planner and former professor, has experienced this firsthand after the 1999 Armenia earthquake that killed around 1,200 people. Rodríguez learned how to respond to earthquakes after that disaster, and his knowledge was further enhanced by learning from Japanese responders who had faced a deadly quake in Osaka.
Even though the new government is setting up encampments for displaced people, Rodríguez believes that permanent living quarters are needed. The primary concern is counting people, organizing them, and planning for reconstruction. It is hard to get people to leave their uninhabitable homes, as seen when Rodríguez visited a friend whose apartment building collapsed.
Everardo Murillo, a consultant for long-term recovery efforts, stresses the importance of food, shelter, quick monetary help, and temporary schooling for children in the first phase of a disaster. Natural leaders emerge in these situations, and solidarity is crucial for responders to learn from victims. Despite the challenges, Colombia seems to be in a better position to recover than other countries hit by similar disasters.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
