Nearly one week after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck western Colombia, authorities are still assessing the scale of the destruction. More than 290 people were killed. The United Nations reports more than 135,000 people were affected. In Pereira, the emergency response is now giving way to a much longer challenge: finding shelter, restoring essential services and rebuilding lives. And in other cities across the country, citizens unite to help in this critical phase.

CGTN's correspondent Michelle Begue has more from Periera.

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