Colombia quake toll tops 250 as rescuers seek survivors

Rescue teams raced to find survivors beneath collapsed buildings in western Colombia on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake killed more than 250 people and caused widespread destruction across the country’s coffee-growing region.

Separate reports from affected cities put the death toll at 254, including 101 deaths in Pereira and 95 in Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city. Authorities warned that the figure could rise as communications remained unreliable in some of the worst-hit areas.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which struck early on Monday, was the most destructive to hit Colombia this century. Apartment blocks, houses, schools and health centres were damaged, left leaning or completely destroyed.

Rescue teams work through the night

Emergency crews, volunteers and residents searched through debris using cranes, excavators and their bare hands. Human chains were formed to pass buckets of rubble away from collapsed buildings as rescuers called for silence to listen for signs of life.

Crowds in Cali cheered when a woman was pulled alive from the remains of the Torres del Limonar apartment complex and taken away for medical care.

More than 100 aftershocks had been recorded by Tuesday afternoon, prompting many residents to remain outdoors rather than return to damaged homes.

Thousands of people were left homeless, with families waiting outside while officials assessed whether cracked buildings were safe. Sports centres and other public facilities were being prepared as temporary shelters, including accommodation for elderly residents evacuated from a damaged nursing home.

Animal shelters also appealed for food, medicine and volunteers after facilities caring for dogs and cats were damaged.

Remote communities await assistance

Rescue operations were particularly difficult in Chocó, the forested Pacific region near the earthquake’s epicentre, where many Indigenous communities remained without electricity, water, medical supplies or other essential services.

Some remote communities said they had not yet received government assistance because damaged roads, limited communications and continuing insecurity caused by armed groups were obstructing access.

As of Tuesday afternoon, three airports remained closed, several major roads were blocked and many communities, particularly in Chocó, still lacked gas, electricity and running water.

Government promises support

The earthquake struck only days after the inauguration of President Abelardo De La Espriella, who travelled to affected areas and promised economic assistance for families who had lost their homes.

His administration, which announced immediate austerity measures after taking office, is preparing to revise a national budget worth more than US$180 billion that was drafted by the previous government.

The National Coffee Federation was also assessing damage to farms and rural infrastructure in the country’s coffee-producing heartland, according to its chief, German Bahamon.

Several cities imposed overnight curfews and increased security to prevent looting as residents salvaged possessions and cooked meals in the streets.

The national government had not issued an updated consolidated death toll by Tuesday, creating uncertainty over the scale of the disaster. Officials said the full extent of the destruction and final casualty figures could take several days to establish.

Source: Reuters