In the Colombian city of Pereira, an earthquake left many people homeless who had previously rented rooms on a short-term basis. Unlike permanent residents affected by the destruction, this category of the population ended up outside the system of state support and assistance. The victims are forced to crowd into a spontaneously organized camp that is already overcrowded. Living conditions there are far from normal: the concentration of people creates an increased risk of infectious diseases spreading, and sanitary conditions leave much to be desired. The peculiarity of the situation lies in the fact that these people remain virtually unnoticed by local authorities. Since they were not property owners or long-term renters, the formal mechanisms for assisting disaster victims do not apply to them. This creates additional vulnerability for an already affected population group. The situation highlights a broader problem of protecting temporary residents and short-term renters in case of emergencies. The lack of official status and documents confirming their place of residence effectively denies them access to humanitarian aid, compensation, and temporary housing provided to other categories of disaster victims. It remains unclear whether local or national Colombian authorities will take measures to address the problem of this group of victims, or whether a system will be established to account for and support people who have fallen through the cracks of official relief structures after a disaster.