Rescue teams in Colombia are racing against time to locate survivors trapped in the ruins of collapsed buildings after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country on Monday. The disaster, which hit at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT), was felt across a massive portion of western Colombia, with more than 70 aftershocks continuing to shake the region through Tuesday.
President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a state of emergency as officials grapple with the widespread destruction.
While the official death toll stands at 181, reports compiled from local officials suggest the actual number of fatalities could exceed 240. Speaking from the hard-hit city of Pereira on Tuesday, President Espriella confirmed that almost 2,600 people have been injured, and nearly 200 remain missing.
The earthquake has also left a trail of severe property damage, completely destroying more than 1,100 homes and damaging over 8,000 others, while dozens of larger structures have collapsed across the nation.
Cali, a major city of 2.2 million residents, has been particularly devastated, recording 95 deaths. Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that 239 people are still trapped beneath rubble, 949 are injured, and 45 buildings have partially or completely collapsed.
To manage the massive rescue operations, a unified command post has been established in the city. Firefighters in Cali have worked to pulled survivors free from rubble.
Footage from the city has shown the massive scale of the rescue effort, with hundreds of volunteers working to remove rubble and free trapped survivors. Among the damaged structures are several upper floors of a local hospital, including units dedicated to pediatric care, leaving patients trapped inside.
In the northern Cali neighborhood of Calima, tragedy struck the Gimnasio Calima school, where a section of the building collapsed, killing four children. Antonio Cadavid, the mayor of the municipality, reported that other children sustained serious injuries, with a total of 30 children transported to medical care centers.
To prevent looting and maintain order, Cadavid has implemented a curfew starting at 20:00 local time on Tuesday and running until 06:00 on Wednesday morning.
In Pereira, the local fire department reported 79 deaths. The city has enforced a car-free day to clear the streets for search and rescue operations, with residents urged to cooperate. Hundreds of volunteers have joined emergency workers to clear debris.
One resident of the Parque Industrial neighborhood, located near the airport, described the scene: "It's impossible to get around the city center.
In BolÃvar Square, at least one building collapsed. Furthermore, there are structures where buses and trucks are trapped, and people are afraid those structures will collapse as well. We're all in shock.
It was really awful." Many residents in both Pereira and Cali spent Monday night outdoors, either because their homes were destroyed or out of fear of further structural collapses.
The destruction also reached Manizales, where Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas confirmed five deaths. Sixty buildings in Manizales had partially or totally collapsed. Colombia's geological service reported that the region has been hit by dozens of aftershocks, including two magnitude 3.6 tremors early Tuesday morning in San José del Palmar and Santander.
As the rescue efforts continue, international support has begun to arrive. A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement expressing solidarity with the people and government of Colombia, adding that the UN is actively working to support the national response.
Spain's Foreign Minister, José Manuel Albares, announced that 164 Spanish nationals are currently missing, though no deaths or injuries among them have been reported.
Additionally, the Donald Trump administration in the United States, which supported President Espriella during his election campaign earlier this year, announced a donation of $15.5 million (£11.5 million) to assist Colombia with its recovery efforts.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.