Colombia searches for over 2,500 missing people as it mourns 240 earthquake victims

The newly appointed President of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, has declared three days of mourning for the 240 victims of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Monday. The disaster caused hundreds of buildings to collapse and led to thousands of people going missing. Ongoing search and rescue operations are taking place, particularly in the cities of Cali and Pereira, which have suffered the most damage.

According to national authorities, 181 people have died, 2,774 have been injured, and over 20,000 have been affected by the disaster. However, local reports suggest that at least 2,500 people are still missing. The earthquake affected 388 cities and towns, damaging more than 20,000 homes, destroying 3,715 buildings, and collapsing 64 structures.

In Pereira, rescuers successfully pulled a woman named Daniela Largos Sánchez, 32, from the debris after she had been trapped for 36 hours. Colombia has also issued an economic and social emergency declaration, allowing the president to take extraordinary measures to respond to the situation. International aid has arrived, with El Salvador, the United States, and Peru sending over $1.3 billion in humanitarian supplies.