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A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's Chocó region on Aug. 10, killing at least 289 people and destroying more than 26,000 homes, according to the Associated Press.
The disaster lands on top of a travel advisory environment that was already unfavorable: the U.S. State Department had Colombia rated at Level 3, "Reconsider Travel," before the first tremor hit.
The existing advisory cites crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters. Several Colombian regions carry the more severe Level 4 designation.
officials have also flagged a specific criminal tactic directed at foreign visitors: drug-incapacitation schemes that render victims unable to resist robbery or assault.
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