Rescue operations persisted on Tuesday in western Colombia as teams combed through rubble from collapsed buildings and damaged homes, amid warnings that the death toll from the country’s strongest earthquake in decades could rise further.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck early Monday in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, claiming at least 164 lives. The tremor caused extensive destruction in cities such as Cali and Pereira, reducing numerous structures to rubble and severely damaging historic landmarks. In Manizales, a portion of a historic cathedral suffered significant damage.
Police, military personnel, emergency responders, and volunteers worked tirelessly through the night, employing heavy machinery and manual efforts to locate survivors trapped beneath debris.
Cali, home to approximately 2.2 million residents, was among the hardest hit areas, reporting at least 85 fatalities. Many buildings were either destroyed or deemed structurally unsafe, forcing residents to stay outdoors for safety.
In Cali, parts of a hospital, including pediatric wards, collapsed during the quake. Hospital director Irne Torres Castro revealed that some patients remained trapped, while around 600 others received treatment on a street littered with debris.
Volunteers continued their search in a collapsed building where several individuals remained trapped. Carmen Yasmin Garcia, a 43-year-old volunteer, stated her team had rescued seven people so far but was still attempting to reach four others and a dog.
Pereira, the capital of Risaralda state, reported 66 deaths. Several residential neighborhoods were devastated, with buildings reduced to concrete rubble and twisted metal. Verified footage showed intense shaking at the city’s airport, where parts of the ceiling collapsed as people sought shelter.
Additionally, 13 fatalities were reported in Choco, the rural province closest to the earthquake’s epicenter.
In a significant development, President Abelardo De La Espriella, who assumed office just days ago, announced the deployment of 1,000 security personnel to Cali following reports of looting. Curfews were imposed in both Cali and Pereira on Monday night to maintain order.
The disaster has drawn comparisons to the 1999 earthquake that devastated Colombia’s coffee region and resulted in over 1,000 deaths. Notably, this recent quake occurred less than two months after a major earthquake in neighboring Venezuela that claimed more than 6,300 lives.
