The district at the epicenter of Colombia’s powerful earthquake is dealing with building damage and lack of water and electricity a day after the quake, community leader Jason Guevara told CNN.
No deaths had yet been reported in the La Italia district in the mountainous municipality of San José del Palmar, but several buildings and roads were damaged, he said.
“Some houses in the city center have damaged sidewalks and internal damage,” said Guevara, a bakery owner who was with customers when the quake struck.
“Some houses on municipal farms have collapsed and some have lost their roofs.”
San José del Palmar, a rural agricultural town of about 5,900 people, is currently isolated from the rest of the country. Guevara said the main road from the town to neighboring Cartago was closed due to 18 landslides. He said there is currently only one bulldozer working to clear roads and it will be some time before more resources reach the affected areas.
Guevara said there was an “anxious” atmosphere Monday night as residents worried there could be aftershocks during the power outage. Everyone is currently trying to gradually resume their daily lives while waiting for services to be restored.
“This morning, everyone is going back to work and trying to charge their phones with the generators that we have here in the municipality and district. It gives the community an opportunity to recharge, to communicate and to let our families know that we are fine. Thank God, technically we are okay and we are dealing with the situation. That is what is important,” he said.
