Search teams comb rubble in Colombia nearly a week after quake as aid effort expands

Bogota, Colombia - Rescue teams continued to sift through the debris of collapsed structures in western Colombia nearly a week after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck, claiming hundreds of lives and leaving thousands more displaced. The catastrophic event hit San Jose del Palmar on Monday, causing extensive damage from the coastal city of Buenaventura to the coffee-growing regions and major urban centers such as Cali and Pereira.

Authorities estimated the death toll at around 290, with 140 individuals still unaccounted for and over 4,000 injured. The brunt of the fatalities occurred in Cali and Pereira, where numerous buildings, including homes, schools, and hospitals, were either severely damaged or entirely destroyed. In Cali, the city's capital, emergency personnel persisted in their search efforts amid the growing challenge of recovering bodies from unstable piles of concrete and twisted metal.

Aftershocks further exacerbated the hazardous conditions for rescue workers and the residents who were still unable to return to their homes.

As the likelihood of discovering additional survivors dwindled, the relief operation intensified. In Colombia's capital, Bogota, a stadium was repurposed as the nation's largest collection point for donations, where volunteers labored continuously to categorize and transport essential supplies such as food, clothing, medicine, and other necessities to the affected regions.

Sencia, the coordinating organization, reported that over 7,000 volunteers had contributed to the dispatch of 700 tons of aid over the course of five days. In Pereira, officials also extended emergency assistance to injured animals, ensuring the provision of donated pet food to alleviate the additional hardships faced by families whose livelihoods and homes had been devastated by the disaster.

This quake marked the first significant crisis for President Abelardo De La Espriella, who assumed office just days prior to the catastrophe. De La Espriella acknowledged the immense challenge of managing the relief and reconstruction efforts. He announced that Colombian billionaire banker Jaime Gilinski, who also owns the food company Nutresa, would contribute 150 billion Colombian pesos (approximately US$47.75 million) towards rebuilding hospitals and schools in Gilinski's hometown of Cali.