{
  "id": 641882,
  "title": "Colombia rescue efforts press on after quake",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/colombia-rescue-efforts-press-on-after-quake",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T07:24:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghanaian Times",
    "slug": "ghanaian-times",
    "url": "https://ghanaiantimes.com.gh/colombia-rescue-efforts-press-on-after-quake/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rescue operations in western Colombia entered their second day on Tuesday following a catastrophic 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country's coffee-growing region early Monday. The powerful tremor has left at least 164 people dead and triggered fears that the death toll could climb further. The quake inflicted severe damage on multi-story buildings in cities like Pereira and Cali, as well as left a historic cathedral's tower in ruins. Emergency services, including police, soldiers, and volunteers, joined forces to search for survivors amidst the rubble using excavators and, at times, their bare hands. In Cali, a city of approximately 2.2 million residents, at least 85 deaths have been reported, with many more buildings damaged or destroyed, forcing residents onto the streets. The collapse of several hospital floors, including a pediatric care unit, trapped some patients and forced 600 others to be treated on the streets. Carmen Yasmin Garcia, a Cali resident volunteering in rescue efforts, recounted her group freeing seven people from a collapsed building, but four others and a dog remained trapped. The city's hospital director, Irne Torres Castro, informed Caracol television that one of the hospital's top floors had collapsed, leaving patients stranded. President Abelardo De La Espriella, who recently took office, reported 35 deaths in Cali alone and 188 people missing. He also announced that 1,000 security forces personnel would be deployed to Cali the following morning, following reports of looting. Both Cali and Pereira imposed curfews on Monday night to maintain public order during the rescue efforts.",
  "summary": "Rescue efforts across western Colombia carried into a second day on Tuesday as emergency workers dug through collapsed buildings and flattened homes, amid expectations that the death toll from the country’s most powerful earthquake in decades could rise. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake tore through Colombia’s coffee-growing heartland early on Monday, killing at least 164 people. The … The post…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}