India has dispatched the first tranche of a 20-tonne relief consignment to Colombia following a devastating earthquake that killed 265 people and injured 3,494….reports Asian Lite News Desk
India has dispatched the first tranche of a 20-tonne consignment of relief supplies to Colombia to support ongoing post-earthquake recovery and relief operations after a powerful quake left 265 people dead and 3,494 injured.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the humanitarian assistance package includes essential medical equipment, medicines, temporary shelter materials, hygiene kits and other critical supplies aimed at meeting urgent requirements on the ground.
“Dispatched the first tranche of the 20 MT relief supplies to Colombia to support ongoing post-earthquake recovery efforts. The assistance includes medicines & medical equipment, temporary shelter & hygiene support, and other essential items needed in the aftermath of the disaster. India stands in solidarity with the people of Colombia during these difficult times,” Jaishankar posted on X.
The dispatch reflects India’s continued focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR), while underscoring New Delhi’s solidarity with Colombia as the South American nation deals with the aftermath of the disaster.
The aid comes as Colombia faces a major relief and reconstruction challenge following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country early on Monday.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella on Wednesday invoked an “economic emergency” to enable exceptional measures for relief and reconstruction.
Addressing the media, De La Espriella described the disaster as a tragedy of “great dimensions” and said the government was preparing measures to support affected families and businesses while speeding up reconstruction efforts.
He said the government would provide assistance through measures including payment of public services, rental subsidies, tax relief and economic support for vulnerable families and small merchants.
“It is undoubtedly a tragedy of great dimensions, but it is precisely in these moments when we must unite under the flag of Colombia,” the President said.
“Taking into account the severity of the circumstances, a tragedy like this forces us to take exceptional measures. This crisis hits us at a difficult time, in the midst of the most complex fiscal crisis in our republican history, with a high level of debt and limited resources. We are structuring measures such as the government paying for public services, rental subsidies, tax relief, and economic support for the most vulnerable families and small merchants. I have decided to invoke the economic emergency provided for in our Constitution,” he added.
De La Espriella said 25,872 families, representing 53,816 people, had been affected by the earthquake.
The Colombian government also said the number of missing people had risen to 496, with locating those missing identified as its main priority.
The scale of the disaster has placed additional pressure on Colombia’s emergency response and reconstruction efforts, with authorities working to provide immediate assistance while assessing damage and supporting displaced and affected communities.
India’s relief shipment is aimed at addressing some of the immediate humanitarian requirements, particularly in healthcare, shelter and hygiene.
The assistance is also part of India’s broader HADR efforts, through which New Delhi has sought to provide rapid support to countries affected by natural disasters and other major emergencies.
With Colombia beginning the difficult task of recovery and reconstruction, authorities are expected to focus on locating missing people, supporting affected families and restoring essential services in the earthquake-hit areas.
