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A Triple Crisis: Earthquake Takes a Heavy Toll on Colombia's Impoverished and Neglected Region

The quake destroyed 29,000 homes and strained hospitals as aid workers rushed supplies to isolated communities, officials said.

  • On Aug. 10, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 312 people and destroying 29,000 homes in the Choco region, displacing approximately 69,000 residents.
  • Choco, home to around 600,000 Afro-Colombian and Indigenous inhabitants, remains geographically isolated with no roads linking its 406-mile Pacific Ocean coastline to the interior, complicating aid delivery.
  • Doctor Cristian Maturana reported the regional capital's only public hospital is ill-equipped for the disaster, with the emergency room operating at twice capacity and staff treating patients in hallways.
  • Colombian President Abelardo visited Choco twice, promising billions in infrastructure investment, though math teacher Ismael Arias and other residents remain skeptical due to the region's history of neglect.
  • Luis Mora, the United Nations Population Fund representative in Colombia, described the situation as a 'triple crisis' combining earthquake damage, underdevelopment, and armed conflict, creating long-term recovery obstacles.
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A triple crisis: Earthquake takes a heavy toll on Colombia's impoverished and neglected region

Recovering from the devastating earthquake that hit Colombia earlier this month will be particularly challenging for Choco, a remote region that has long struggled with high poverty rates, poor infrastructure and underfunded health and education services.

·New York, United States
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Breitbart broke the news in Los Angeles, United States on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
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