The Colombian municipality of San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó and the epicenter of the devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4, is facing the consequences of the quake with only 32 million Colombian pesos, equivalent to about 10,000 dollars available from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) fund, as revealed by its mayor, León Fabio Marín.
The warning came just three days after Abelardo De La Espriella took office as President of Colombia, succeeding the communist Gustavo Petro. While authorities were trying to restore communications with the municipality, Marín described numerous material damages and cracked homes and demanded immediate economic assistance from the national government.
“From the UNGRD fund, I have 32 million pesos; we have no way to handle this”, the mayor stated in remarks reported by Caracol Radio. According to the first assessments released from the area, at least 10 homes collapsed in San José del Palmar.
The situation is particularly significant due to the serious corruption issues that plagued the UNGRD during Petro's government. Its former director Olmedo López pleaded guilty and accepted responsibility for the planning and execution of the entity's embezzlement for the crimes of conspiracy to commit a crime and misappropriation. Sneyder Pinilla, former Deputy Director of Disaster Management, has already been sentenced to five years and eight months in prison for the same scheme.
