These Colombians are waiting not for aid, but for their dead
Key Takeaways
- 250 bodies have arrived at Forensic Medicine, with 227 identified.
- Families face delays after operations were moved from Cali to Palmira.
- The earthquake has left 273 dead and 377 missing.
Relatives are waiting in Palmira to receive victims’ bodies after earthquake damage forced forensic operations out of Cali.
Relatives of victims killed in Colombia’s August 10 earthquake are waiting outside the Basic Forensic Medicine Unit in Palmira as authorities work to identify and release bodies.
The procedures were moved to Palmira after the Forensic Medicine office in Cali was evacuated because of the risk of structural collapse.
The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said 250 bodies have arrived at Forensic Medicine. Of those, 227 have been identified and 189 handed over to their families.
"It is overwhelmed; the forensic service in the city of Cali is overwhelmed because of the earthquake. So all the bodies have been sent here to Palmira, and that has meant it takes a long time to hand over our loved ones," said the son of a person who died in the earthquake.
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The man said he had been waiting since early in the day to receive his relative’s remains.
"It is worrying, because we want to give a Christian burial, and with the pain being so strong here, you do not want your relative to be there in these conditions."
He said he had been told the previous night that the body would be ready by Thursday morning, but he was still unable to receive it.
"Last night they told me—I was there until late last night—they told me that today at 09:00. I have just arrived to claim the body, but they say it is not on this first list of the morning, so I have to wait to see when they can hand it over to me."
Meanwhile, citizens have travelled to areas affected by the earthquake to deliver humanitarian aid.
"It comes from the heart, and all of us at this time have to unite as a country to help all these people who really have nowhere to sleep and no food," said one Cali resident taking part in the effort.
The Office of the Attorney General set up service points in Palmira and Tulua to speed up procedures after the Cali forensic office was evacuated.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with its epicentre in San Jose del Palmar, caused damage across Choco, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Caldas. As of Thursday, the UNGRD reported 273 people dead, 3,824 injured and 377 missing.
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This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
