Buenaventura residents criticise state neglect after Colombia’s earthquake

What the report says

Residents of Buenaventura, Colombia, are accusing authorities of leaving their city with too little help after the August 10 earthquake, which Al Jazeera reports killed hundreds nationwide and caused severe damage in the Pacific port city. In Buenaventura, homes collapsed, dozens were injured and local hospital services were strained, with patients treated in temporary tents outside a district hospital.

The article says the complaints reflect a longer-running sense of neglect in a city that already faces high poverty, weak public services and limited trust in government. Locals interviewed by Al Jazeera said they had seen only brief or delayed official assistance after the disaster, while community members and neighbourhood groups filled many gaps themselves. One resident described the response as abandonment, and another said the state had barely arrived in affected neighbourhoods such as Barrio Oriente.

Al Jazeera also notes concerns that recovery resources may favour larger urban centres over poorer places like Buenaventura. The city has a large Afro-Colombian population and has historically lagged behind nearby hubs such as Cali in development indicators. Beyond the physical destruction, residents voiced worries about security, including looting at abandoned sites and a lack of visible police or military presence. The piece presents the earthquake as both a humanitarian emergency and a reminder of longstanding inequalities in one of Colombia’s most marginalised cities.