Today marks 30 years since one of the most devastating natural disasters in the history of Colombia that claimed the lives of more than 1,000 people in the municipality of Páez.
On June 6, 1994, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook the municipality of Páez, in the department of Cauca, triggering more than 3,000 landslides that caused the loss of 1,100 lives and left almost 8,000 people affected.
Today, 30 years after the catastrophic natural disaster, the country remembers with pain and solemnity the victims of a tragedy that marked an entire generation.
On June 6, 1994, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake unleashed a series of devastating events, including more than 3,000 landslides and a violent avalanche that devastated everything in its path.
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The survivors of that fateful night tell how, among the aftershocks of the earthquake, They had to climb to the edges of the rocks and mountains, anticipating the worst: the avalanche. The Páez River, overflowing and fed by the earth and melting ice released from the snow-capped Huila volcano, became a furious torrent that devastated entire communities.
For three long days, the victims were trapped in the rubble and mud, desperately waiting for help to arrive. Only when the media managed to reach the area was the State able to organize the necessary aid.
The scars of that tragedy run deep, every home in this community lost loved ones.
According to data from the Colombian Geological Service, subsequent landslides in the mountains of the upper Páez River basin resulted in more than 1,100 deaths and around 1,600 displaced families in the departments of Cauca and Huila. Besides, The earthquake left 7,925 families affected.
The disaster mobilized the entire country, triggering a wave of solidarity and the implementation of measures to improve risk and disaster management.
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Today, the Colombian Geological Survey and various community organizations commemorate the anniversary of this tragedy, not only as an act of memory, but also as a call to action to strengthen infrastructure and improve prevention strategies against future disasters.
The Páez tragedy is a painful but vital reminder of human fragility in the face of the force of nature and the importance of preparation and solidarity in times of crisis.
SGC information.
