European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc continues to support Colombia wherever possible following the deadly quake.
The European Union will provide €2 million to Colombia to support its most affected areas following a deadly earthquake that tore through the South American country on Sunday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in an online statement.
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“As search and rescue operations continue, the EU is supporting Colombia wherever possible,” she said in the statement posted on Tuesday.
The president of the EU executive added that Colombia has activated the bloc’s civil protection mechanism, which is designed to pool resources from the 27 member states to effectively provide assistance to the nation that triggered it.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the worst in Colombia’s history, has killed at least 216 people and injured hundreds more.
Hard hit cities include Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, with emergency services now racing against the clock to pull survivors from the rubble.
Von der Leyen previously said the EU had mobilised Copernicus, the bloc’s satellite service, to help with rescue operations.
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said in the immediate aftermath of the quake that Europe stands in solidarity with those in Colombia “during these difficult times”.