Colombians dig through rubble as quake death toll surpasses 240
Rescuers, soldiers and volunteers searched through collapsed apartment blocks and office buildings Tuesday across western Colombia, racing to find survivors after the country's strongest earthquake in a century killed at least 241 people and left many more homeless.
In western Colombia, rescuers, soldiers, and volunteers searched through collapsed buildings in the aftermath of a powerful earthquake, which struck the country with a magnitude of 7.4, surpassing the death toll of 241 people. Families sought refuge in parks as aftershocks rattled damaged neighborhoods, leaving entire blocks as rubble.
Emergency crews employed cranes, dogs, and heavy machinery to clear debris, while volunteers formed human chains to extract individuals trapped beneath collapsed structures. The quake injured over 1,670 people, straining the health system and compounding the rescue effort into Colombia's largest disaster response in recent years.
Residents in Cali assisted firefighters in excavating collapsed buildings using makeshift tools like picks and shovels. Rescuers periodically stopped to listen for any signs of life within the rubble, with one volunteer reporting that someone responded by whistling. In Pereira, military units and sniffer dogs combed the twisted concrete and exposed steel, with rescue leaders stopping workers to listen for any response.
The desperate search evolved into a vigil for many families, as they waited for news of missing relatives. One individual, Jorge Gonzalez, stood beside a collapsed building in Pereira, expressing his determination to stay until his aunt was found. Others grappled with the loss of homes, possessions, and livelihoods, while some managed to escape with their lives but lost everything in the process.
Amid the destruction, Colombians rallied to help, providing water, food, and supplies to affected neighborhoods, while forming long lines to donate blood at local centers.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of emergency and promised rent subsidies for affected families, while the United States pledged US$15.5 million in emergency aid. Messages of support and offers of assistance poured in from around the world as rescue crews pressed forward through the ruins, awaiting any signs of life amidst the ongoing aftershocks.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
