Colombian President De la Espriella visited Quibdó, a city in the Chocó administrative region and the epicenter of the magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck on August 10.
De la Espriella said that more than 150,000 homes were damaged in the earthquake and announced that the affected areas would be rebuilt. “Today, the reconstruction of the nation begins from Quibdó,” De la Espriella said, adding that the process would be carried out with the support of engineers and experts.
Initially, 4,480 tons of construction materials will be delivered to repair damaged homes. Families whose homes sustained minor damage will receive repair materials, while owners of homes that are uninhabitable will be provided with new housing.
Families whose homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the earthquake will receive monthly assistance of 875,452 pesos, approximately $285, for three months starting August 26.
De la Espriella said that the reconstruction efforts would not be limited to replacing the homes that were lost. He said the new structures would be built under a plan focused on greater safety, more resilient infrastructure and increased employment opportunities in the region.
Emphasizing that the reconstruction process must be carried out quickly, transparently and subject to oversight, De la Espriella said he would not allow the emergency to be exploited for political gain or favoritism. He said he would personally lead the process and closely monitor the progress of the work.
Miracle Fund had been established
In a statement on August 18, De la Espriella said the earthquake had caused $9.5 billion in damage according to initial assessments. He also announced that a new fund called the “Miracle Fund” would be established to manage the reconstruction process.
The fund is planned to operate based on the model of the Fund for the Reconstruction and Social Development of the Coffee Axis, which was established after the 1999 earthquake in Colombia’s city of Armenia.
The government plans to provide rent assistance, access to public services, new housing and home improvement support to families who lost their homes. De la Espriella had also called on contractors and financial institutions to support the reconstruction process.
The number of people killed in the August 10 earthquake rose to 329.
