Rescue teams in western Colombia worked tirelessly on Tuesday, sifting through rubble following a devastating earthquake that claimed over 250 lives, as estimated by local authorities. The 7.4-magnitude quake, the strongest to hit the country in years, wreaked havoc in Colombia’s coffee-producing region, causing buildings to collapse and leaving many structures severely damaged.
In the most affected areas, rescue efforts continued overnight with the use of heavy machinery and manual labor to locate and extract survivors trapped beneath debris. Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara emphasized the immediate focus on saving lives, ensuring the prompt arrival of rescue teams, and providing essential medical supplies and field hospitals.
Official reports indicated 126 confirmed fatalities and 1,495 injuries by Monday night, but updated local estimates suggested the death toll could rise to approximately 254, reflecting an ongoing crisis as rescue teams accessed more areas and communication networks slowly recovered. Nearly 5,000 homes suffered damage, and numerous buildings were either completely destroyed or left in ruins, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
In the aftermath, residents in cities like Cali faced the grim reality of damaged homes and collapsed structures, with some forced to cook outdoors and seek refuge away from unsafe buildings. In Pereira, another heavily impacted city, volunteers and residents banded together in search and rescue efforts, hoping to find survivors amidst the rubble.
The earthquake also caused significant disruptions to vital services, leading to the closure of six airports and the impairment of several roads. The loss of infrastructure, including electricity and water supply, further complicated rescue operations and aid distribution, particularly in Choco near the quake’s epicenter.
As international aid began to pour in, including financial assistance from the United States and the Inter-American Development Bank, local authorities mobilized resources to provide essential supplies to affected communities. With communication challenges persisting in some of the worst-hit areas, officials anticipated that assessing the full extent of the damage and determining the final death toll would require additional time.