The earthquake that shook Colombia Aug. 10 registered 7.4 on the Richter scale, but the damage it caused was far more severe than the number would indicate, say eyewitnesses. 

Striking deep into the ground, it released a massive amount of seismic energy that traveled deep into the ground, and aftershocks were felt as far away as Ecuador and Panama, according to the Colombian Geological Service.

This — and the more than 200 deaths reported so far — prompted the government of Colombia to declare a national emergency and has galvanized Catholic humanitarian organizations such as Development and Peace - Caritas Canada (D&P) and Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) into immediate action, tackling multiple challenges, including disrupted communication lines, lowered survivor morale and donor fatigue overseas.

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 Both these organizations have launched emergency appeals to donors, citing the gigantic scale of the destruction — to human lives, homes, churches and other heritage properties of the Church in a country where over 70 per cent are Catholics. (D&P is making an initial allocation of $50,000 to help local partners including Caritas Colombiana). They are also actively working with partners on the ground to provide emergency relief — food, medical supplies and shelter — to those made homeless, in addition to planning long-term strategies to restore shattered livelihoods and economies.

“People are desperately seeking news of their loved ones that are still missing,” Anne Catherine Kennedy, D&P’s Latin America programs coordinator, told The Catholic Register. “It’s hard for us to understand the magnitude of this earthquake, just from the Richter scale alone. The ground was shaking for so long people thought it would never stop. Many said they were ‘seasick’ for hours afterwards because everything shook with such intensity for so long.”

Families watched helplessly as their homes were turned to rubble and loved ones were buried under collapsed buildings.

In Manizales, a city high in the Andes mountains, 304 kms to the northwest of the capital, Bogota, the beloved Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary was severely damaged. So were other historic churches including the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Pereira and the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Cali.

“Of course, we are most concerned about the human lives that have been lost,” said Kennedy. “But it’s also a sad loss for Colombia’s patrimony.” 

She added that it was in these churches that the public sought shelter in times of disaster in the past.

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Another consequence that deeply troubles Kennedy and her colleagues is the diminished hope in communities noted for their resilience and strength rooted in their strong faith. 

“The Catholics of this country are stoic and full of hope, and even in the times of sorrow, they find solace in little things. But now I find that the light of hope seems to have dimmed in the face of this disaster,” she said.

But D&P, ACN and their local partners are determined to bring that light and hope back to the people.

 Choco, an isolated region on Colombia’s Pacific coast, is home to a large Afro-Colombian community and to a smaller indigenous community. Approximately 80 per cent live below the poverty line. This area was also severely impacted by the earthquake.

Poor, isolated communities are often the most neglected in times of national emergencies, said Kennedy, adding that in many cases the neediest don’t get the help they deserve. But D&P is working with ACA (Spanish acronym for Association of Peasants of Antioquia), an organization that empowers rural farm communities. 

“Our long-term reconstruction projects not only empower local communities, (they) help them to rebuild destroyed homes using techniques and materials to withstand future earthquakes. Colombia is a very unequal society and the epicentre of the earthquake was in the poorest part of the country. The poor have to spend years of suffering and sweating to rebuild their homes.” 

“Aid to the Church in Need is in direct contact with the bishops of dioceses located in the affected areas in order to determine the impact of the quake and coordinate emergency aid to be channelled through the Church,” Mario Bard, ACN Canada’s head of information, said. “As is typical in so many disaster situations, the Church is one of the first places of refuge for affected communities. From the initial hours following the earthquake, parishes, priests, religious sisters and the faithful have begun accompanying families, offering shelter, comfort and spiritual support.”

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 “The priority right now is to find survivors and rescue them,” Hernan Dario, head of communications for ACN Colombia, said. “The immediate needs are medical supplies, water, non-perishable food, blankets and tents. Likewise, any financial support that can be provided through organizations such as Aid to the Church in Need will be delivered directly to the hardest-hit communities. In the medium and long term, the task will be to rebuild structures, which is very costly, but also to help those affected rebuild their lives physically, psychologically, emotionally and spiritually.”

“ACN invites all its friends and benefactors to join in prayer for Colombia and for everyone affected by this earthquake,” said Bard. “This natural disaster struck less than two months after two consecutive earthquakes devastated large parts of neighbouring Venezuela. Generous ACN benefactors from multiple countries have enabled us to continuously support the local Church deal with the fallout.”