On the heels of saving lives in the June Venezuelan earthquakes, U.S. first responders jumped into action after the August 10 earthquake in Colombia, once again showing American resolve in response to tragedy.
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) technical advisers from the Fairfax County and Los Angeles County fire and rescue departments deployed to support Colombian USAR teams in and around the most affected cities of Cali and Pereira.
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake killed more than 300 people, toppled buildings and destroyed homes across a large swath of western Colombia. The State Department’s USAR teams contributed to over 365 lives saved by assessing the stability of affected buildings and critical infrastructure, ensuring coordination among international and national USAR teams and supporting the Colombian-led operations.
The teams deployed as part of a U.S. Department of State Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and have trained for years to meet International Search and Rescue Advisory Group standards. After the Venezuela earthquake in June, the Fairfax and Los Angeles teams worked in shifts for 140 hours straight, rescuing survivors alongside international teams.
In response to the earthquake in Colombia, the United States has provided $26.5 million in food, water, basic hygiene, shelter and health assistance through relief organizations aiming to reach thousands of people, often in remote locations. The United States also partnered with Starlink to connect emergency responders and humanitarian aid groups to high-speed internet to facilitate delivery of assistance to hard-hit, isolated communities.
The DART also collaborated with the Department of War to deliver 220,000 pounds of supplies, including drinking water, water storage containers and basic hygiene items like soap. The State Department pre-positions the supplies at a warehouse in Miami to quickly respond to disasters in the hemisphere.
