National emergency as 111 killed in Colombia earthquake
More than 100 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck Colombia, toppling buildings and trapping people in the country's strongest earthquake this century.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4, the most powerful to hit Colombia in decades, has claimed the lives of at least 224 people in the coffee-growing region of western Colombia. The quake struck early yesterday, demolishing multi-story buildings in cities including Pereira and Cali, as well as causing the collapse of a cathedral spire in Manizales.
Emergency workers, aided by police, soldiers and volunteers, are still sifting through the rubble in search of survivors, as there is still a 24-hour window of hope for potential rescue. In Cali, a city of 2.2 million people, at least 95 deaths have been reported, with many buildings left precariously tilted or completely destroyed.
Hospitals, including those specializing in pediatric care, have also been damaged, leaving some patients trapped and forcing others to receive treatment on the streets amidst the rubble. President Abelardo De La Espriella has pledged to deploy 1,000 security forces to Cali and implemented curfews in affected areas, while Irish resident Gillian Moore described the earthquake as a shocking shock that wasn't expected.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
