Colombia, August 12 – Rescue teams in Colombia continued searching through collapsed buildings and debris on Tuesday after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed more than 250 people and left hundreds missing.
The quake struck Monday morning near San José del Palmar with tremors felt hundreds of miles away in Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. More than 70 aftershocks have been recorded since the main earthquake, according to Colombia’s Geological Service.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster as emergency crews raced to find survivors. Pereira and Cali were among the hardest-hit cities. Authorities said nearly 2,600 people were injured and around 200 remain missing. More than 1,100 homes were destroyed, while over 8,000 others sustained damage.
In Cali, a city of about 2.2 million people, at least 95 people were killed. A hospital partially collapsed, trapping patients inside while four children died after a school building in the northern district of Calima collapsed. A unified command center has been established to coordinate rescue operations.
Thousands of residents spent the night outdoors fearing further building collapses. Curfews were imposed in affected areas to prevent looting as volunteers worked alongside emergency responders to clear debris.
The United States has pledged $15.5 million in assistance while Ecuador, Brazil, El Salvador and Venezuela have also offered support.
