San Diego Colombians rally to help families after deadly earthquake

The region’s Colombian community is now grappling with the emotional toll of watching the disaster unfold from thousands of miles away.

SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s Colombian community is anxiously checking on loved ones and organizing relief efforts after a devastating earthquake struck Colombia, leaving hundreds dead, fears of thousands missing and communities struggling through continued aftershocks.

For Abigail Cardona, the disaster became real the moment she woke up Monday morning and saw photos of the destruction in Cali, the city where much of her family lives.

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Her cousin was forced to evacuate so quickly that he left behind his phone, leaving relatives unable to contact him for hours.

“My aunt was freaking out because she couldn’t get a hold of him and she knew that some of the buildings had collapsed,” Cardona said.

The family was eventually able to reconnect and received video showing extensive damage, including large cracks running through the walls of their home. Despite the destruction, her relatives escaped without injuries.

Cardona knows many others have not been as fortunate.

“It’s pretty heartbreaking,” she said. “I wasn’t born there, but I’ve visited my entire life. So it’s like my second home, and just seeing all these buildings, these places I’ve been, just completely collapsed, it’s kind of surreal.”

Cardona is one of thousands of Colombians who call San Diego County home. The region’s Colombian community is now grappling with the emotional toll of watching the disaster unfold from thousands of miles away.

Among them is Andres Rodriguez, who moved to San Diego 27 years ago but still has close family in Colombia. For hours after the earthquake, he was unable to reach his parents.

Fortunately, they survived without injuries.

“All they see is the devastation around them, like the homes collapsed and all that stuff, dust, and my house, everything [broken] inside,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez manages Antojitos Colombianos in Sherman Heights, where employees and community members have begun collecting donations for earthquake victims.

“Trying to do something from my heart to try and relieve a little bit there, the pain they’re suffering right now,” Rodriguez said.

Supplies, including rice, canned food and toiletries, are being gathered to help families affected by the disaster. Cardona has already donated supplies and says she also plans to send money to support recovery efforts.

As families continue to assess the damage and search for loved ones, many in San Diego’s Colombian community say they are focused on helping however they can.

Cardona says the response reflects a deep sense of unity that has long been a part of Colombian culture.

“I think it’s part of the Colombian culture. It’s the community. We help each other,” she said. “We know how times can get so hard, and we know what it’s like to suffer and then to dig yourself out of hard situations. So we’re always there for each other and always willing to give a little bit more.”