Colombia earthquake: What funders need to know

Just six weeks after twin earthquakes devastated Venezuela, neighboring Colombia was struck by a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake on the morning of Monday, Aug. 10, severely affecting the cities of Cali, Pereira and Manizales.  

Tragically, more than 200 people have lost their lives, with about 4,000 people missing and nearly 2,000 people injured, but those numbers are expected to rise. Many people have also been displaced, with approximately 8,300 homes reportedly damaged. Additionally, hundreds of homes, schools and health care facilities have collapsed.  

The Colombia earthquake struck just a few weeks after twin earthquakes devastated neighboring Venezuela, killing more than 6,000 people.  

People living in informal settlements, families with young children, older people, those living with disabilities and communities with poor infrastructure and limited emergency preparedness are disproportionately affected by this disaster.  

Why focus on long-term recovery now? 

An approach that considers the long-term needs of communities is essential in recovery from an earthquake. Earthquakes happen suddenly and with devastating consequences. The destruction is fast, visible and acute, but the recovery is slow, arduous and can take decades or longer.  

There are multiple reasons for this: buildings collapse in seconds, but rebuilding them requires functioning supply chains, skilled labor, materials, permits and financing, all of which are often affected or disrupted by the earthquake. Hospitals cannot be rebuilt if the roads to reach them are broken, and roads cannot be fixed when the required equipment is destroyed. The issues are exacerbated by widespread damage to hidden infrastructure, such as water systems and sewage treatment plants. These complex interconnected challenges make progress devastatingly slow.   

As a result, donor attention often wanes long before communities rebuild. Recovery is particularly challenging in lower-middle-income countries and countries where multiple hazards and conflict combine to create a complex humanitarian emergency, such as Colombia. Donors may not know how to support long-term recovery efforts given the overwhelming needs after such a catastrophic event, especially coming on the heels of a similar disaster in Venezuela.   

How can funders help?  

• Think long term and unrestricted: Recovery needs will continue long after the headlines fade. For earthquake recovery, long-term, unrestricted funding is crucial.
• Support safe and expedited construction: Funders can help people struggling in Colombia by supporting safe and expedited rebuilding work that includes mitigation and risk reduction, making long-term investments to ensure a full recovery, and strengthening preparedness and resilience efforts. 
• Prioritize cash donations: As with most disasters and emergencies, unrestricted cash donations to organizations are recommended by disaster experts. Cash allows on-the-ground agencies to direct funds to the most significant areas of need, supports economic recovery and ensures donations can help quickly re-establish access to basic needs.  

Join CDP’s effort to support recovery: CDP can provide grants to organizations outside the U.S., and donations to CDP’s Global Recovery Fund (select 2026 Colombia Earthquake Recovery) can help us support local organizations working to lead their communities’ recovery.