Colombian rescuers pull woman alive from quake rubble as death toll hits 216

Pereira, Colombia - Rescuers in Colombia have successfully pulled a 32-year-old woman, Daniela Largo, alive from the rubble of a collapsed building following the country's strongest earthquake in a century. The quake, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, has left a death toll of 216, revised from an earlier figure. Largo was carried from the wreckage by rescuers, who were aided by local residents who heard her cries for help and joined in removing debris.

Volunteers and emergency crews continued to search for survivors in western Colombia, using cranes, dogs, and heavy machinery. The quake has overwhelmed the health system, turning the rescue effort into one of Colombia's largest disaster responses in years. Families are sleeping in parks, and volunteers are forming human chains to clear debris.

The earthquake has caused extensive damage, with entire blocks reduced to rubble and entire neighborhoods flattened. President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of emergency, promising rent subsidies for affected families.