Rescue teams engaged in a frantic race against time in western Colombia on Tuesday, excavating through heaps of shattered concrete following a devastating earthquake that claimed over 250 lives, as estimated by local authorities. Families anxiously lingered near the debris, hoping for any signs of life.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit Colombia in many years, struck the heart of the country’s coffee-producing region early Monday, causing severe damage to apartment buildings, houses, schools, and healthcare facilities, with structures either cracked, tilted, or flattened.
In the most heavily impacted areas, rescue workers toiled through the night using cranes, excavators, and even their hands to navigate through twisted metal, passing buckets of rubble in desperate efforts to locate any remaining survivors. Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara emphasized the immediate focus on saving lives, ensuring the swift arrival of rescue teams, and supplying medical aid and field hospitals.
According to the United Nations humanitarian office OCHA, official figures as of Monday night reported 126 confirmed deaths and 1,495 injuries. However, updated local assessments on Tuesday indicated a toll of around 254, underscoring an evolving crisis as response teams accessed affected neighborhoods and communication gradually resumed.
Nearly 5,000 homes sustained damage, with dozens of buildings collapsing and numerous residences being razed, as per OCHA. In Cali, residents congregated on the streets after sections of residences and apartment complexes crumbled. Families improvised outdoor cooking, salvaged belongings, and prepared for another day away from their homes. A hospital in the city experienced partial collapses, including floors dedicated to pediatric care, leaving patients trapped and hundreds receiving care on a debris-littered street, as described by Irne Torres Castro, the hospital director.
In Pereira, one of the hardest-hit cities, entire sections of residential areas lay in ruins, prompting residents and volunteers to form human chains while others listened intently for sounds of distress from beneath the rubble. A local resident, Fernanda Gaviria, lamented the loss of acquaintances and the anguish of witnessing the sudden destruction, highlighting the emotional toll of the disaster.
The earthquake also disrupted critical infrastructure, leading civil aviation authorities to shutter six airports and reports of numerous impacted roads. The loss of electricity, water, healthcare services, and telecommunications, particularly in Choco near the quake’s epicenter, complicated rescue and relief operations.
Emergency response was mobilized as international aid began arriving. The United States pledged $15.5 million for emergency provisions, while the Inter-American Development Bank earmarked $50 million for reconstruction assistance, pending government request.
Amid lingering communication challenges in severely affected areas, officials acknowledged that determining the full extent of the devastation and the final death toll may require several days.
