- Colombian rescue workers are racing to find survivors after the country’s deadliest earthquake this century killed at least 224 people and left at least 3,000 missing.
- In Cali, one of the worst affected cities, firefighters pulled a 35-year-old man from the wreckage of a collapsed building nearly 24 hours after the 7.4 magnitude quake rattled western Colombia.
- Rescue efforts in Cali included finding life under debris, with civilians pulling at least five survivors from a partially collapsed hotel, while 85 confirmed victims were reported in the city.
- Colombia’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella, stated that 5,000 homes had been destroyed and 188 people were missing in the surrounding department of Valle del Cauca.
- Cali’s mayor, Alejandro Eder, assured its 2.3 million citizens, “We will get through this together,” and said emergency responders had rescued 37 people from some of the 40 buildings that had completely collapsed.
- In Pereira, a city 130 miles to Cali’s north, at least 53 people were reportedly trapped in some of the 58 constructions that collapsed, with 11 people missing according to local newspaper El Diario.
Colombia's recent earthquake, which struck at 7.34am on Monday, is the deadliest since a 6.2 magnitude quake in January 1999, which killed over 1,000 people. The 7.4 magnitude tremor has devastated cities like Cali and Pereira, with reports of 3,000 people missing and 5,000 homes destroyed.2589
In Cali, emergency responders have rescued 37 people from the rubble of 40 collapsed buildings. Firefighters reported pulling a 35-year-old man from wreckage nearly 24 hours after the quake. Civilians also rescued at least five survivors from a partially collapsed hotel, while the bodies of 85 confirmed victims lay under sheets on the streets.3467
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office just days before the disaster, declared a state of emergency and pledged to lead the response efforts. He visited the affected areas, stating that 188 people are missing in Valle del Cauca. Mayor Alejandro Eder assured citizens, “We will get through this together,” as the city grapples with the aftermath of the quake.
The situation in Pereira is similarly dire, with reports of at least 53 people trapped in collapsed structures. The earthquake poses a significant challenge to the new administration, as rescue efforts continue amidst the devastation.
“In Cali, firefighters pulled a 35-year-old man from a collapsed building nearly 24 hours after the 7.4 magnitude quake, while civilians rescued at least five from a hotel. President Abelardo de la Espriella reported 5,000 homes destroyed and 188 missing in Valle del Cauca.”
The Guardian
