For thousands of survivors, emerging from the rubble alive is just the beginning. Now they face another difficult battle: rebuilding their lives after losing their homes, their incomes, and everything they owned.
Three days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, the aftermath remains dire. At least 265 people have died and hundreds more are trapped under rubble.
In the city of Pereira, urban planner and former professor Jahir Rodríguez immediately came to the aid of residents. He knows the situation well, having been part of the emergency efforts after the devastating 1999 earthquake in Armenia, a city in Colombia, which killed about 1,200 people. “There’s a sense of helplessness,” Rodríguez told CBS News, recalling the moment he saw windows shatter and water seep through cracked walls of buildings. For him, one of the most important lessons came from the Japanese rescue teams that helped after the 1999 earthquake. They told him that people often make the mistake of thinking they will only be in affected areas for a few days or months.
“You will be here for years,” they had warned. Today, Rodríguez worries about exactly that. Camps are being set up in city parks for people who have lost their homes, but he warns that this cannot be a long-term solution.
According to him, the priority is now clear: first, all those affected must be identified, then their housing must be organized, and finally, reconstruction plans must be drawn up. Many residents refuse to leave their damaged homes, fearing that their belongings may be stolen. Rodríguez says that a friend of his, whose house collapsed, refused to leave the scene. “There are people here, on the sidewalk, just looking at their house,” he says sadly. In the streets, residents are preparing food and waiting for help. For many of them, the consequences will not end with the clearing of the rubble. They face weeks, months, and perhaps years in shelters as they try to rebuild their lives.
Expert Everardo Murillo, who designed the recovery plan after the 1999 earthquake in Colombia, says the first phase requires food, shelter, financial assistance and temporary schooling for children. This should be followed by loans and long-term support for affected families and businesses.
According to him, the residents themselves also play an important role. In such situations, people emerge who take the lead and help the community cope with the consequences. Colombia is better prepared than in 1999, as many buildings in the affected area were built to stronger seismic standards. However, the economic and social damage can be great even for families whose houses are still standing. Jahir Rodríguez sees this pain firsthand. His 65-year-old sister, Liliana Rodríguez, lost her apartment in Monday’s earthquake. “They are just coping with the earthquake. They haven’t thought about what will happen tomorrow yet,” he says.
For thousands of survivors, emerging from the rubble alive is just the beginning. Now they face another difficult battle: rebuilding their lives after losing their homes, their incomes, and everything they owned.