The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck with its epicenter in Colombia’s Pacific region of Choco and has affected at least 14 of the country’s 32 departments, Anadolu Agency reported.
Maria Jose Torres Macho, the UN resident coordinator, said the scale of the disaster was larger than initially expected and warned that information from rural areas remained limited.
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“Everything that I’m reporting right now is going to be evolving as we speak, and we are constantly updating,” Torres Macho said at a UN briefing.
She said authorities had been able to gather more information about damage in major cities than in remote communities.
“We don’t know exactly what is the impact in the rural, remote areas,” she said. “There might be much more to report and to respond to.”
Search and rescue operations remain the immediate priority, while humanitarian agencies are preparing support focused on temporary shelter, health care, food security and protection.
Choco and Valle del Cauca, including the city of Cali, are among the areas receiving humanitarian assistance.
The UN is also using remote-sensing technology to assess structural and socioeconomic damage and is deploying additional personnel from Bogota to affected areas.
Torres Macho said the UN had been asked by Colombia’s national authorities to support the government-led response. Existing humanitarian resources are being redirected, while additional funding is also being considered.
UN spokesman Farhan Haq said assessments were continuing as authorities reported thousands of injuries and a rising death toll.
“Initial reports indicate that 12 departments have been impacted by the earthquake, with thousands of homes damaged and hundreds destroyed,” Haq told reporters.
Health and education facilities, roads and airports have also suffered damage, he said.
The government is leading the emergency response, with safe shelter, food, drinking water and health care identified as some of the most urgent needs.
The World Food Program is monitoring conditions and coordinating with government authorities and humanitarian partners. Following Colombia’s request for international assistance, the agency has begun mobilizing support and is prepared to provide food aid and cash-based assistance.
Nearly 4,500 metric tons of food are already available through pre-positioned WFP stocks in Colombia, with supplies located close enough to affected areas to support a rapid response if necessary.
As search and rescue efforts continue, UN officials warned that the full scale of the earthquake’s destruction may not become clear until emergency teams can reach isolated communities and complete assessments.
