Abu dhabi: The Colombian government has declared a 30-day state of emergency in 15 areas affected by the devastating earthquake that struck earlier this month. The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management announced that the death toll has risen to 319. Over 4,500 individuals have sustained injuries, and another 260 remain missing following the catastrophic event.

According to Emirates News Agency, the state of emergency will facilitate the government's ability to swiftly mobilize funds for emergency assistance and reconstruction efforts. It will also enable the reallocation of state resources to address the urgent needs arising from the disaster. President Abelardo de la Espriella emphasized the need for comprehensive action, highlighting the importance of ongoing search operations for the missing, providing care for the injured and affected, restoring essential infrastructure, and initiating reconstruction plans for the impacted regions.

Preliminary estimates from the National Planning Department suggest that reconstruction costs could reach approximately 40 trillion Colombian pesos, equivalent to US$12 billion. This projection underscores the significant financial commitment required to rebuild and restore normalcy in the affected areas.