Earthquake response strains Colombia's new government and rescuers

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing widespread destruction and loss of life. According to Colombian authorities, at least 181 people were killed and 2,595 injured. However, civilian-run databases suggest that the number of missing persons could be as high as 4,000, while other reports put the number of missing at 3,900.

The earthquake damaged around 1,600 buildings and nearly 5,000 homes across the affected region. Rescue operations continued, with teams searching for survivors in collapsed buildings and rubble. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared an economic emergency, granting him temporary authority to issue economic and tax decrees without congressional approval.

The Colombian government requested international aid in the form of supplies for those affected but did not call for foreign rescue teams, despite offers from several countries and multilateral bodies. The earthquake posed an early test for President de la Espriella, who began his four-year term on Friday.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR, Live Mint, MercoPress, The Mainichi, CBS News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.