Forgotten Survivors in Pereira Following Colombia Earthquake

• An estimated 400 earthquake survivors are sheltering in La Libertad Park in Pereira, Colombia, following a 7.4-magnitude tremor on August 10, 2026.
• The official death toll in Pereira stands at 111, with 314 fatalities reported nationwide.
• Many survivors, who previously relied on daily-rate boarding houses, have been largely ignored by government relief efforts due to their social status as vulnerable workers and migrants.

The Invisible Victims

• Residents of low-cost boarding houses, paying roughly COP 15,000 to 18,000 (USD 5-6) per day, lost their homes and meager possessions in the collapse.
• Volunteers, rather than official agencies, have provided the primary support, noting that the victims face systemic discrimination and stigma.
• While national attention focused on major structural failures like the luxury Hotel Dibenni, the plight of those living in cheaper, destroyed buildings went largely undocumented.

Humanitarian and Health Concerns

• The makeshift camp at La Libertad Park lacks clean water and adequate sanitation, leading to outbreaks of tuberculosis, influenza, and gastroenteritis.
• Volunteer medical staff report treating up to 30 patients daily, though they note that official health services have been slow to intervene.
• Government institutions, including the Ombudsman’s Office and the Colombian Family Welfare Institute, arrived two weeks post-disaster, but many survivors refuse relocation to official shelters, citing past experiences of feeling imprisoned or losing their remaining autonomy.