Preliminary damage from Colombia quake on 10 August estimated at $9.6 billion
Newly sworn president Abelardo de la Espriella said preliminary calculations estimate roughly $9.6 billion in damage after the 7.4-magnitude quake on 10 August.
Initial estimates put the total damage from the earthquake that struck Colombia on 10 August at about 9.6 billion dollars, the newly inaugurated president Abelardo de la Espriella said, citing figures compiled by a private company.
Authorities say almost 27,000 homes were destroyed and more than 120,000 properties suffered various degrees of damage across the affected regions.
Human toll and ongoing recovery
Preliminary figures announced by the president list 289 people killed in the quake, which registered 7.4 on the Richter scale. Rescue teams continue to recover bodies from collapsed buildings.
An Israeli rescue team reported it had found three bodies in the city of Cali. Officials say more than 4,000 people were wounded and 143 remain listed as missing.
The president emphasized that the numbers are preliminary and reflect an initial assessment based on private-sector data; emergency services and local authorities continue search-and-rescue and damage-assessment operations.
Photo: DPA
