Colombia enters ‘final phase’ of quake search as toll hits 265

On Wednesday, Colombia's earthquake rescue efforts entered what officials described as the final phase, as rescue teams searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings. The magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, has claimed 265 lives, injured over 3,500, and left nearly 500 people missing. In Pereira, crews concentrated on a bakery where a street vendor believed trapped since Monday's earthquake might still be alive.

Using vibration-detecting equipment, rescuers detected possible signs of life from Pablo Loaiza, prompting his relatives to gather outside the wreckage. Loaiza's niece, 16-year-old Sara, expressed her anxiety, stating that her heart felt like it might burst out of her chest. The trapped man seemed to respond to rescuers who asked him to knock twice, then three times, earning applause from the crowd.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder announced that they were entering the final phase of the search, emphasizing that while survivors were still possible, the chances were decreasing. Rescue crews in Cali and Pereira prepared to work through a third night, using only their bare hands, cranes, and sniffer dogs. They stopped not to rest but to listen for signs of life. So far, three people had been pulled out alive, and three had died.

Colombia's newly installed president declared the disaster an economic emergency and declared three days of national mourning. The newly elected leader vowed to emerge stronger as a country and society. Over 11,000 buildings were destroyed, leaving thousands of families homeless. Many have spent consecutive nights outdoors due to damaged homes or aftershock fears.

In the mountain town of El Cairo, residents gathered at community kitchens while power outages persisted and many remained reluctant to return home. Adriana Gonzalez, a resident, expressed the collective worry, stating that people didn't want to go back into their homes, sleep, or know what to do next. In nearby Roldanillo, Yuliana Mendez picked through the wreckage of the beauty products store where she worked, highlighting the challenges faced by many businesses in the disaster.