How to Help Those Impacted by the Earthquakes in Colombia (Updated)
The seismic event reached the highest magnitude recorded in Colombia in the 21st century.
Black News 
Colombia is experiencing a historically challenging moment, having suffered a 7.4-magnitude earthquake — six weeks after its neighbor, Venezuela, experienced two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude in June.
On the morning of Aug. 10, the earthquake shook the country’s Pacific Coast, with the epicenter in San José del Palmar, a city in the department of Chocó, 150 miles west of Bogotá, where the tremor was also felt. The destruction and collapse of multiple buildings, leaving citizens trapped under the rubble in various areas of the country, including Cauca, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Quindío, among others, led the government to declare a national disaster.
According to recent reports by CNN, on Tuesday (Aug. 11), the death toll surpassed 200 people, with 3,000 missing — and the number is expected to continue to rise, as emergency personnel work to clear the rubble and continue their rescue efforts, but have yet to reach the epicenter.
The Colombian Geological Service (CGS), a government agency dedicated to researching subsoil resources, monitoring geological hazards and managing nuclear materials, reports that this is the largest-magnitude seismic event recorded in Colombia in the 21st century. Since the 7.4 quake on Monday, the organization has recorded more than 70 aftershocks in numerous cities across the country.
During the early morning of Aug. 11, several seismic replicas were reported across different regions of the country; although the aftershocks were less powerful than the initial event, their magnitudes were recorded as 3.0, 3.2, 3.6, and 3.8. CGS reports that this effect can last an unprecedented amount of time: “for days, weeks, or even months — because, when a high-magnitude, shallow earthquake occurs, energy continues to be released until the areas surrounding the rupture zone of the main earthquake balance out again.”
Hours after the incident, the U.S. government declared that it would be contributing $15.5 million to relief efforts as the number of fatalities and injuries continues to rise. Various artists, organizations and musicians have spoken out in support of Colombia to raise funds and provide information for people to assist those who are affected by the tragedy.
Here is a list of ways you can help, in alphabetical order.
