The U.S. Department of State revealed on Friday that an extra $11 million in humanitarian aid will be provided to Colombia, increasing the United States' total support to $26.5 million in response to the catastrophic earthquake that struck on Monday.
The powerful 7.4 magnitude quake shook western Colombia on August 10, with its epicenter located near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó.
As of August 13, the disaster's toll had exceeded 260 fatalities and around 500 missing persons, with more than 1,600 buildings damaged and at least 61 structures completely destroyed.
Comprehensive Aid Distribution Plan
This additional funding is designated for food assistance, healthcare, protection, shelter, and post-earthquake structural assessments.
The assistance is being distributed through partners such as Catholic Relief Services, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, the World Food Program, and World Vision.
The initial aid package, totaling $15.5 million, was announced on Tuesday.
Of that amount, $3 million provided through Catholic Relief Services comes from a globally allocated assistance fund previously designated for the organization.
Broader U.S. Contributions
In addition to direct funding, the United States had already contributed $200 million to the Colombia Common Fund of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as part of a $3.8 billion global contribution to the agency, resources that can also be allocated to address needs arising from the earthquake.
As part of the logistical response, the Department of State activated support from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) to transport supplies from its pre-positioning warehouse in Miami to Colombia.
The initial flight departed on Friday from Homestead Air Reserve Base in Miami-Dade County, carrying shelter materials, water, and hygiene supplies.
The shipment also includes hundreds of Starlink kits to provide high-speed connectivity to humanitarian organizations and the Colombian government, following a memorandum of understanding signed between Starlink and the Department of State in June 2026 for disaster response.
Upon arrival, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Program will oversee last-mile distribution.
Search and Rescue Operations
In tandem, two Urban Search and Rescue technical teams—from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, California—arrived in Colombia on Wednesday and are operating in Pereira, offering coordination, communication, and structural engineering support to Colombian government efforts.
The U.S. embassy in Bogotá confirmed the presence of these teams: "Members of VATF1 and LACOFD are in Pereira providing coordination and information management support, as well as medical expertise in structural assessment and rescue, supporting the Colombian government's search and rescue operations."
Political Shifts and Bilateral Relations
This humanitarian response comes amid a significant bilateral realignment. Newly appointed Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office just three days before the earthquake, has dramatically shifted his country's foreign policy: he announced a break in diplomatic relations with Cuba and Nicaragua, and Colombia joined the "Shield of the Americas," a regional security alliance promoted by Washington.
In this context of closer ties, the United States had announced its intention to allocate $1 billion in security assistance to Colombia—pending Congressional approval—to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, an initiative that the Colombian Presidency described as "the most significant support in decades for the bilateral alliance."
U.S. Humanitarian Aid and Earthquake Response
What is the total amount of U.S. aid provided to Colombia after the earthquake?
The United States has committed a total of $26.5 million in aid to Colombia in response to the earthquake.
Which organizations are helping distribute the U.S. aid in Colombia?
The aid is being distributed through partners like Catholic Relief Services, the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, the International Organization for Migration, UNICEF, the World Food Program, and World Vision.
How is the U.S. Southern Command involved in the aid response?
The U.S. Southern Command has been activated to transport supplies from Miami to Colombia as part of the logistical response to the earthquake.