The death toll from a catastrophic magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia has risen to 331, according to an updated report released on Tuesday by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).
The agency said 240 people remain missing, while 4,449 have been injured and 364 people have been rescued alive. In total, 406,273 people from 188,034 families have been officially registered as affected across 494 municipalities in 16 of Colombia's 32 departments.
The earthquake, which struck at 7.34 am local time (1234GMT) on August 10, was the most powerful seismic event to hit Colombia this century. Its epicentre was located near San Jose del Palmar in the Pacific department of Choco at an intermediate depth of roughly 110 kilometers.
The disaster has caused extensive damage to homes and public infrastructure across western Colombia. According to figures provided by the UNGRD on Tuesday, 33,275 homes have been completely destroyed, while 185,889 others have sustained damage.
Health, education and essential services have also been severely affected. The UNGRD reported damage to 376 health centres, 3,819 educational facilities and 4,337 community facilities.
Transport and water infrastructure have suffered significant disruption, with 440 roads, 74 vehicle bridges, 17 pedestrian bridges, five airports and 119 water-supply systems affected.
The earthquake has also taken a toll on animals, with 2,149 affected and 2,949 rescued, according to the latest assessment.
The UNGRD said the figures remain preliminary and are being consolidated by local authorities and operational agencies as emergency response and damage assessments continue.
