Colombia earthquake death toll reaches 224 as search for survivors continues
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia early Monday and badly damaged cities including Pereira and Cali. The powerful quake also caused part of a cathedral spire in Manizales to collapse.
Rescue teams race to find survivors
Police, soldiers and volunteers worked through the night using excavators and their hands to clear rubble. Rescue teams said they had detected sounds and other possible signs of life beneath some collapsed buildings.
Jose Fernando Usma of the Colombian Red Cross said rescuers were checking damaged structures and removing debris to reach people trapped deeper inside. “We still have a big window of time. We have approximately 24 more hours to have hope of life,” he said.
Cali has reported at least 95 deaths, while many buildings were either destroyed or left dangerously damaged. A hospital also suffered major damage, with some upper floors collapsing and around 600 patients being treated outside.
A volunteer rescue worker said her team had pulled seven people from one collapsed building in Cali. Four people and a dog were still trapped, while rescuers continued working to reach them.
Pereira and other areas badly hit
Pereira, the capital of Risaralda, has reported 72 deaths and suffered some of the most visible destruction. Entire residential areas were reduced to concrete and twisted metal after the earthquake.
Officials in Valle del Cauca, which includes Cali, reported 38 deaths. Another 13 people were killed in Choco, the rural province closest to the earthquake’s epicentre.
Videos verified by Reuters showed severe damage in Pereira, while the city’s airport shook violently during the earthquake. Large sections of its ceiling also collapsed as people tried to protect themselves.
Security tightened as damage spreads
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella said 1,000 security personnel would be sent to Cali after reports of looting. Cali and Pereira also imposed curfews on Monday night.
“Our intention is to cooperate in any way necessary. Here, there are no distinctions or ideological divisions when it comes to defending our people or showing solidarity,” De La Espriella said.
The disaster has brought back memories of the deadly 1999 earthquake that devastated the same coffee-growing region. That disaster killed more than 1,000 people, while the recent tragedy has also drawn comparisons with the devastating earthquakes in neighbouring Venezuela.
Analysis: The rising death toll shows the scale of destruction caused by the Colombia earthquake. However, rescue teams are still searching damaged buildings because signs of possible survivors have been detected.
The next phase of the operation is critical as rescuers race against time. Clearing unstable structures safely while reaching people trapped under rubble remains the main challenge.
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