Colombia hopes for miracles as search for quake victims goes on

On Friday, four days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, the chances of finding survivors dwindled, though rescue efforts persisted. The strongest quake in the South American nation this century had devastated western cities of Cali and Pereira, destroying nearly 13,000 homes in the coffee-growing region and along the coast.

At least 287 people were reported dead, thousands injured, and 379 people unaccounted for, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. Despite the grim prognosis, Hernan Giraldo, a father searching for his 24-year-old son buried in the ruins of a hotel, refused to abandon hope, emphasizing that the wedding planned for Sunday would still take place if his son survived.

The government, still grappling with the aftermath of the disaster, declared an economic emergency and received a $200 million emergency fund from the World Bank. The morgue in Cali, the city with the most fatalities, was damaged, leading to bodies being transported to nearby Palmira. The impoverished Choco region, hit particularly hard, saw some remote communities unreachable by authorities.

Despite the diminishing likelihood of finding survivors, Colombia's disaster relief agency pledged to continue searching until all missing persons were found. Colombians outside the quake zone rallied to aid victims, with hundreds of volunteers donating supplies to aid sorting centers.