Earthquake

With the election of the new right-wing president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, Colombia and Israel have restored ties that had been severed for two years under the previous administration.

According to Indonesia's geophysics agency, the earthquake struck at a depth of 18 miles.

Thousands have been evacuated following the country's deadliest disaster since a 2022 quake killed hundreds in West Java.

The 7.4-magnitude quake struck Monday morning in San José del Palmar, causing severe damage from the Pacific port of Buenaventura to Colombia's coffee-growing region and major western cities.

Thirty-six people were seriously injured in the Saturday morning quake in East Nusa Tenggara province, while 77 had minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said.

Around 290 people have died, with 140 more missing and nearly 4,000 more injured, according to official estimates. More than two-thirds of the deaths were concentrated in Cali and Pereira.

Mapping efforts and building assessments have begun in order to establish plans and priorities for the ongoing response efforts.

By providing need-based and rapid assistance during emergencies, and through its efforts to develop capacities for mutual benefit, India is seen as a reliable first responder and a force for good.

According to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority, several agencies have been mobilized in response to the seismic activity to assess damage and locate people trapped underneath rubble.

Israel is one of the four countries, alongside the US, Ecuador, and El Salvador, to have been requested by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella to send a search-and-rescue team.