Brothers Who Lost Family in Venezuela Quake Face Another Major Earthquake After Moving to Colombia for a New Life

Hit by Another Magnitude 7.4 Quake in Cali
Fleeing Barefoot as Buildings Shook
Death Toll and Damage from Earthquake Rising Rapidly

A story has emerged of teenage brothers who lost their family in the massive earthquake that struck Venezuela in June and then, after relocating to Colombia, experienced another powerful quake just over a month later. On August 11, Yonhap News, citing the New York Times (NYT) and others, reported the misfortune of Winderd Delphin (17) and his younger brother Deivy Delphin (15), Venezuelan brothers who have suffered two major earthquakes in the past three months.

A strong earthquake in Colombia caused buildings to collapse one after another in major western cities such as Cali, Pereira, and Manizales. The government reported that more than 1,500 homes were damaged, with 61 buildings completely destroyed. AP Yonhap News Agency

The brothers experienced a magnitude 7.4 earthquake at their home in Cali, western Colombia, on the morning of the previous day. Earlier, the two had survived the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck Venezuela in succession on June 24. However, at that time, they lost their mother, grandmother, and younger brother. The two searched for the bodies of their family members in the rubble of collapsed buildings for 26 days, a story featured by the NYT last month. Afterwards, they moved to Cali, Colombia, where their father, David Delphin (44), works as a barber, to start a new life.

However, peace did not last long. At 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in Chocó Department, western Colombia. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the depth of the epicenter at about 107 kilometers. The Colombian Geological Service said this was the strongest earthquake recorded in Colombia in the 21st century. The brothers, who were at home at the time, panicked when the building shook violently and ran outside in fear.

Their father, who was outside the house, immediately searched for his children as soon as the earthquake occurred. He said that when he was finally reunited with his sons, it brought back memories of the earthquake in Venezuela. The father said, “I began to cry, recalling what my children and I had gone through,” adding, “I just want my kids to be safe.”

As of the morning of the 11th, the tentative damage scale compiled by the Association of Capital Cities of Colombia stands at at least 132 deaths and 570 injuries. This is a significant increase from the Colombian government's earlier announcement of 111 deaths and 87 injuries. AP Yonhap News

However, even hours after the earthquake, the family could not return home. The fear that another building could collapse kept them away.

The father said, “We are still outside the house. We are too afraid to go inside,” but tried to reassure the public, saying, “We are fine. We are alive.” This latest earthquake caused massive human and property damage in the western region of Colombia.

As of the morning of August 11, the provisional damage scale compiled by the Association of Capital Cities and Regional Capitals of Colombia shows at least 132 deaths and 570 injuries. This is a significant increase compared to the 111 deaths and 87 injuries previously announced by the Colombian government. In particular, 60 deaths were reported in Pereira, the capital of Risaralda Department, alone.

Buildings collapsed one after another in major western cities such as Cali, Pereira, and Manizales, and the government has identified damage to more than 1,500 homes and the complete destruction of 61 buildings. Some hospitals, schools, and roads were also damaged. The Colombian government has declared a national state of emergency and is carrying out rescue and search operations. Rescue teams and residents are searching for survivors trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings, and some areas near the epicenter in Chocó Department are experiencing communication outages, making it difficult to assess the full extent of the damage. According to the Colombian Geological Service, at least 21 aftershocks were recorded by late the same day. As rescue operations continue and people remain trapped inside collapsed buildings, the number of casualties is expected to rise further.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.