Rescuers race to find Colombia earthquake survivors as death toll rises
More than 2,700 people were reported missing on Monday night, after the country was struck by its strongest earthquake on record.
Rescue teams raced to search for survivors in Colombia early Tuesday, after the nation experienced its strongest earthquake on record. As of Monday afternoon, at least 132 individuals had perished, with over 570 others suffering injuries, per the Colombian Association of Capital Cities. By Monday night, more than 2,700 people had gone missing.
Families shared information about their loved ones online, anxiously seeking updates on their whereabouts. The 7.4-magnitude tremor hit western Colombia shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time, causing residents to flee into the streets in panic. Pereira, one of the areas worst affected, was plunged into darkness by nightfall as volunteers sifted through debris in search of survivors.
"We're without power. This honestly feels like a zombie city," resident Juan David Gaitan told AFP. At the airport in Pereira, footage showed ceiling tiles falling on travelers sheltering in the terminal and people running amidst rubble in alarm. President Abelardo de la Espriella, in office for only three days, declared a state of emergency and pledged a robust rescue operation.
Approximately 1,600 structures across Colombia were reported either damaged or collapsed, with rescue workers and volunteers clearing rubble manually in certain locations. Dana Carolina Zamora shared a photo of her missing 60-year-old uncle, Miguel Ángel Zamora, holding his dog. The farmer resided in a rural area near San Jose Del Palmar, the epicenter of the quake.
Zamora expressed concern, hoping that her uncle was safe and attributing the lack of communication to a possible communication failure. De la Espriella announced on Monday night that he had mobilized the entire military and police forces to aid in the quake response. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on social media that the Trump administration was closely monitoring the situation and stood ready to assist Colombia.
South Florida organizations joined U.S.-based humanitarian groups, preparing to provide aid to Colombia. They emphasized that their primary focus was on rescue and recovery efforts, awaiting further information on the specific needs of the affected population.
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