WATCH: Israel’s 'Alliance of Brothers' delegation aids in search and rescue efforts across Colombia
The 7.4-magnitude quake struck Monday morning in San José del Palmar, causing severe damage from the Pacific port of Buenaventura to Colombia's coffee-growing region and major western cities.
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia last Monday, causing significant damage across the country's west coast. The devastation was particularly severe in cities such as Cali, Pereira, and Buenaventura. The quake left hundreds dead, thousands injured, and many more displaced.
The Israeli delegation known as "Alliance of Brothers" quickly mobilized to aid in the search and rescue efforts. The delegation's engineers worked alongside local teams to map and assess buildings damaged by the quake, determining which structures remained structurally stable. Their contributions were crucial in the ongoing mission to save as many lives as possible amidst the rubble.
The official death toll from the disaster reached around 290, with over 140 people still missing. The hardest-hit areas included Cali and Pereira, where apartment blocks, homes, churches, schools, and hospitals were either destroyed or severely damaged. Rescue efforts shifted from active search and rescue to recovery operations as there were no signs of life in many affected areas, according to Cali's fire department Captain Alberto Hernandez.
In a gesture of support for the affected communities, Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski, who owns the Nutresa food company, pledged 150 billion pesos ($47.75 million) towards rebuilding hospitals and schools in Cali. Additionally, the wealthy Santo Domingo family, which controls a major media empire in Colombia, had already committed $32 million for the cause the previous Friday.
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