UNICEF Expands Aid After Deadly 7.4 Earthquake Hits Colombia

UNICEF is providing water, sanitation and hygiene assistance for 22,000 people across Chocó and Buenaventura, focusing on reducing public health risks while damaged services are repaired.

UNICEF is expanding emergency assistance for children and families in western Colombia after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed 181 people, left 195 missing and injured more than 2,595, while widespread damage to homes, schools and essential infrastructure has disrupted daily life across some of the hardest-hit communities.

The response is concentrating on the department of Chocó, located closest to the earthquake's epicentre, and the Pacific coast city of Buenaventura, where thousands of people have been affected. Authorities are still working to establish how many children have been caught up in the disaster, with damaged roads, communications problems and communities spread across difficult-to-reach areas making a complete assessment challenging.

UNICEF Colombia Country Representative Tanya Chapuisat said children are dealing with damage to their homes and schools while disruptions to basic services are creating additional risks for families trying to recover from the disaster.

Hundreds of damaged schools threaten children's education

Initial assessments indicate that 796 schools have been affected by the earthquake, raising concerns that large numbers of children could face interruptions to their education at a time when familiar routines and safe spaces can provide an important sense of stability.

Damage to infrastructure has also interrupted water supplies, electricity, healthcare, telecommunications and other essential services. The impact can be particularly severe for children when families lose reliable access to safe drinking water, sanitation and medical care at the same time as they are coping with damaged homes and uncertainty about what comes next.

Chocó was already considered one of the more vulnerable areas affected by the earthquake, making the restoration of essential services especially important as authorities and humanitarian organisations continue assessing needs.

Clean water and hygiene supplies reach affected families

UNICEF is providing water, sanitation and hygiene assistance for 22,000 people across Chocó and Buenaventura, focusing on reducing public health risks while damaged services are repaired.

Emergency supplies include family water, sanitation and hygiene kits, maternal care kits, menstrual hygiene supplies and water storage tanks. Access to these basic items can become critical after an earthquake because damaged water and sanitation networks may increase the risk of illness, while displaced families can find it difficult to maintain everyday hygiene.

UNICEF's existing presence in the region is supporting the response, with the organisation having worked in Chocó for more than two decades while also maintaining operations in Buenaventura.

Child protection becomes a priority after the disaster

The emergency response is extending beyond immediate physical needs as children face disruption, displacement and the emotional strain created by a major disaster. UNICEF is working with the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, known as ICBF, to strengthen measures designed to prevent protection risks and provide support for children affected by the earthquake.

Coordination with national and local authorities and humanitarian partners is continuing as teams gather more information from affected communities. Geographic isolation and communication difficulties mean the full scale of the earthquake's impact may become clearer as access improves and assessments reach more remote locations.

UNICEF says it is prepared to expand its operation as needs become better understood, with current efforts centred on helping families access safe water, sanitation, hygiene supplies and child protection services while essential infrastructure is restored.

For children whose homes, classrooms and communities have been damaged, the recovery will involve more than rebuilding physical structures. Restoring schools, healthcare, clean water and safe environments will be central to giving families the security and support they need after one of the country's most destructive recent emergencies.