Lack of connectivity in earthquake-affected regions makes emergency response difficult

The lack of connectivity following Monday's earthquake has hindered emergency response efforts in affected regions of Colombia, with limited public information available on the status of telecommunications networks despite official monitoring by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies (TIC). Communities in Chocó and the Valle del Cauca have continued to demand the restoration of communication services to support humanitarian operations. Internet service providers such as Claro, Tigo, and Movistar have reported disruptions caused by factors including network saturation, physical damage, and power outages. Users have described difficulties in establishing cellular connections and accessing online resources related to the emergency response, with these issues persisting up to the time of this report, particularly in Chocó and the Valle del Cauca. Data collected by IODA from Colombia shows a consistent and sustained decline in connectivity in the regions of Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Caldas, and Quindío, beginning between 12:30 and 12:40 UTC and continuing for several hours afterward. A gradual and partial recovery was recorded after approximately 23 hours. The data reflects a significant drop in active probing levels, a technique used to determine whether internet services are accessible from a given network. These decreases are measured relative to initial values observed in each department, which are based on previously recorded measurements rather than an ideal 100% level. Risaralda and Quindío experienced the largest declines, reaching minimum levels of 38.67% and 45.49%, respectively, compared to initial values of 99.11% and 97.74%. Valle del Cauca dropped from 98.72% to 60.31%, while Chocó fell from 86.84% to 47.37%. In contrast, Caldas had the smallest decrease, going from an initial value of 97.87% to a low of 71.23%. After approximately 23 hours, all departments showed signs of recovery, though none reached their initial levels. Chocó achieved 78.95%, Valle del Cauca 82.13%, Risaralda 58.22%, Caldas 90.26%, and Quindío 78.57%. While there was a progressive recovery in active probing levels, none of the areas fully restored their pre-disruption connectivity. Risaralda had the most limited recovery relative to its initial value, whereas Caldas maintained the highest levels closest to its reference measurement. Overall, the results highlight regional differences in both the extent of the disruption and the degree of recovery during the analyzed period. On the afternoon of August 11, 30 hours after the earthquake, some mobile phone companies announced they would activate connectivity benefits for users in the five affected departments. This incident occurred just three days after the inauguration of the new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, and before the government had been fully established. As a result, several institutions responsible for responding to the disaster were operating under provisional administrations. The Commission for Regulation of Communications reminded authorities of measures to ensure communications during emergencies, while the Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies confirmed the activation of a protocol to address the situation. Despite these steps, the ongoing challenges with connectivity continue to complicate the coordination of relief efforts in the affected regions.