Baby Rescued From Rubble After Deadly Colombia Earthquake

Baby Rescued From Rubble After Deadly Colombia Earthquake

Udoy Chowdhury
August 12, 2026

A harrowing rescue captured on video has provided a glimmer of hope following a powerful 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday. Footage shared by Brian Osorio Zuluaga shows a group of volunteers frantically searching through the wreckage of a collapsed building. During the search, a survivor trapped beneath the debris is heard confirming he is accompanied by a baby. As rescuers labor to clear concrete blocks with their bare hands, the faint cries of the child can be heard, leading to a successful extraction and a moment of relief for the workers.

In another segment of the footage, a man is seen cradling the crying infant while his own lower body remains pinned under the remains of the building. His arms appear bloodied, and after the baby is carefully passed to safety, the team calls for a paramedic before continuing their efforts to free the man. Zuluaga, who arrived at the scene shortly after the disaster, noted that the experience highlighted the necessity of unity, stating, "Today I understood, more than ever, that no one is really prepared to live through a situation like the one we are experiencing today." He added that in such dire circumstances, "a helping hand can make the difference between life and death."

The immediate medical status of the infant and the adult survivor remains unconfirmed. Across the country, search teams and volunteers are working urgently to locate other potential survivors trapped in the aftermath of the quake. President Abelardo de la Espriella, who had assumed office only days before the disaster, reported that at least 181 people have been killed, with 2,595 others suffering injuries. Estimates from civilian-run databases suggest that nearly 4,000 individuals remain unaccounted for.

International support is mobilizing to assist the recovery, with the United States pledging over $15 million in aid. Mexico’s president has expressed readiness to deploy hundreds of health and search workers along with supplies, while Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced that his nation will send two planes carrying 100 tons of aid. Bukele also took to social media to offer his prayers to the victims and the people of Colombia.


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Content: Collected | Source: CBS News

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