Starlink is being rolled out in Colombia to assist areas affected by the earthquake

Starlink will offer free satellite internet service until September 12 in the areas of Colombia affected by the devastating earthquake, as well as deploy equipment to assist emergency organizations and restore communications.

The company SpaceX announced the initiative this Tuesday and specified that the benefit will be available to both current customers and new users located in the affected areas.

For those affected by the devastating earthquake in Colombia, Starlink is providing free service until September 12 for new and existing customers," the company reported.

Starlink added that it is deploying its technology to assist the agencies responsible for responding to the emergency and restoring connectivity in the areas that suffered the most damage.

According to the official support page enabled for Colombia, customers with an active service do not need to take any action, as the corresponding credit will be applied automatically to their accounts.

Users who had canceled the service will also receive the credit and will be able to reactivate their connections without payment during the specified period.

Those who purchase new equipment in the affected areas must contact customer service after their purchase to request the free service until September 12.

The company also announced that it will replace the damaged Starlink kits at no cost during the disaster.

Owners should contact the support team to arrange for the replacement.

Starlink took a similar step in June, when it offered free satellite internet in Venezuela following the earthquakes that damaged the telecommunications networks in that country.

Satellite connectivity can be crucial in areas where terrestrial infrastructure has been disrupted, both for coordinating rescue operations and for allowing those affected to communicate with their families.

Aid arrives following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Colombia on Monday at 7:34 AM, with the epicenter located in San José del Palmar, in the Chocó department.

The seismic movement caused the collapse of buildings, damage to hospitals, airports, homes, public services, and communication networks in various regions of the center and west of the country.

The victim count continued to rise during the search and rescue efforts.

The latest figures released by regional authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll to at least 240 fatalities, while numerous teams worked among the debris to find survivors.