Rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastated western Colombia and disrupted vital services.
WEB DESK: The death toll from Colombia’s devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake rose to 254 on Tuesday as rescue teams continued searching through collapsed buildings for survivors across the country’s western region.
The earthquake struck early Monday and caused widespread damage across Colombia’s coffee-growing heartland, leaving apartment buildings, homes, schools and health centres cracked, damaged or destroyed.
Separate reports from affected cities put the death toll at 101 in Pereira and 95 in Cali, with additional fatalities reported elsewhere.
Rescue teams race against time
Rescuers worked through the night and into Tuesday using cranes, excavators and their bare hands to search for people trapped beneath the rubble.
In Cali, rescue workers and civilian volunteers formed human chains to remove debris from damaged buildings. Crowds cheered after rescuers pulled a woman alive from the rubble of the destroyed Torres del Limonar apartment complex.
The search remains challenging as authorities continue to assess damaged structures and identify people who may still be trapped.
Thousands left homeless
The earthquake left thousands of people homeless, with residential complexes destroyed and other buildings suffering deep structural cracks.
Many families have been waiting for authorities to determine whether their homes are safe enough to re-enter.
Communities in Chocó, near the earthquake’s epicentre, have also been facing disruptions to electricity and basic services, complicating rescue and relief operations.
Airports and essential services disrupted
The earthquake damaged critical infrastructure across western Colombia.
Civil aviation authorities closed six airports — Quibdó, Pereira, Manizales, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura — while dozens of roads were also reported to have been affected.
Electricity, water, healthcare and telecommunications remained disrupted in several areas, particularly in Chocó.
Officials warned that the full extent of the devastation could take several days to establish because communications remained patchy in some of the hardest-hit areas.
International aid pledged
The United States said it had allocated $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food, protection and damage assessments.
The Inter-American Development Bank also made $50 million immediately available for reconstruction support if requested, while the United Nations said it was increasing its presence in the affected region and had food supplies ready for displaced families.
Nearly 100 aftershocks had been recorded by early Tuesday, adding to concerns among residents and rescue workers operating in damaged areas.
