Colombian rescue workers are searching collapsed buildings for survivors after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake killed at least 240 people and left at least 3,000 missing. The earthquake struck western Colombia at 7.34am on Monday, and firefighters in Cali pulled a 35-year-old man from the wreckage shortly before 4am on Tuesday, nearly 24 hours later.
Cali and Pereira are among the worst-hit cities. In Cali, firefighters said 37 people had been rescued from buildings that completely collapsed, while the city reported 85 confirmed deaths. Pereira reported at least 66 deaths, with people still trapped in collapsed buildings and hospitals struggling to handle the influx of patients.
Search operations continue in Cali and Pereira
The Cali fire department said rescuers found the man alive beneath a concrete beam and wrote on X: “We have found life under the debris … Every minute counts.” Civilians also pulled at least five survivors from a partly collapsed hotel, while bodies were seen under sheets on city streets.
In Pereira, at least 53 people were reportedly trapped in some of the 58 buildings that collapsed, and 11 people were missing, according to the local newspaper El Diario. Mayor Mauricio Salazar described the disaster as a historic and difficult situation for the city.
Related coverage: Colombia earthquake kills at least 20 as buildings collapse.
Government mobilises troops and emergency teams
President Abelardo de la Espriella said 5,000 homes had been destroyed and 188 people were missing in the surrounding department of Valle del Cauca. He declared a state of emergency, said he would lead the response and sent teams headed by ministers to the worst-affected areas.
More than 1,000 troops were being mobilised to prevent public disturbances amid reports of looting. De la Espriella was due to travel to Pereira on Tuesday after visiting the department of Chocó and Cali. Cali mayor Alejandro Eder told the city’s 2.3 million residents: “We will get through this together.”
The disaster is Colombia’s deadliest earthquake this century
The earthquake is Colombia’s deadliest since a 6.2 magnitude temblor struck the same western coffee-growing region in January 1999, killing more than 1,000 people.
More context: Search for survivors continues after Colombia’s magnitude 7.4 quake.
Experts cited by The Guardian said Colombia’s initial response appeared more organised, public and proactive than Venezuela’s response to twin earthquakes on 24 June that killed at least 6,300 people. They also cautioned that a strong initial operation would need to be followed by effective reconstruction, recovery and support for people who lost homes and jobs.
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