Colombia earthquake damages nearly 5,000 homes, 24 health facilities: UN

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday damaged nearly 5,000 homes and 24 health facilities, as well as affecting hundreds of schools, community centers, and roads, UN officials said Tuesday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva that nearly 5,000 homes had been damaged and 387 destroyed, while 61 buildings had collapsed.

More than 550 educational institutions and over 350 community centers were also affected, he said.

Laerke said official reports showed disruptions to essential services, including electricity, water supplies, healthcare, and connectivity, in several cities, while 53 roads had been affected across the country.

At least 126 people were killed and 1,495 injured, according to official government figures, he added.

WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic, for his part, told reporters that damage had been reported at 24 health facilities across six departments, with Valle del Cauca, particularly Cali, suffering the most significant impact on health infrastructure.

Part of a tower housing cardiology and pediatric services at Hospital Universitario del Valle collapsed, while Clinica Nuestra was fully evacuated.

Damage to water systems has also created additional operational challenges for health facilities, Jasarevic said.

Laerke said Colombia had not yet made an official request for international assistance.