A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, flattening buildings across major cities and killing at least 224 people. Emergency teams continue searching for survivors in the rubble as the window for rescue operations narrows.
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake devastated western Colombia on Monday, marking the most powerful seismic event to strike the South American nation in recent decades. By Tuesday, authorities confirmed the death toll had risen to 224, with the hardest-hit areas including the cities of Cali, Pereira, and surrounding regions in the country's coffee-growing heartland. The tremor reduced multi-story residential and commercial buildings to rubble, while significant structural damage was reported to critical infrastructure including hospitals and religious landmarks.
Cali, a city of approximately 2.2 million residents, accounted for at least 95 of the confirmed deaths. Emergency responders described extensive urban destruction, with entire residential blocks reduced to concrete and twisted metal. One hospital in the city sustained severe damage to its upper floors, including pediatric care units, trapping some patients and forcing roughly 600 others to receive treatment on debris-strewn streets. Pereira, the capital of the Risaralda region, reported 72 deaths, while neighboring areas recorded additional casualties.
Rescue operations continued through the night with teams of police, soldiers, volunteers, and emergency workers using excavators and manual labor to search for survivors. According to Jose Fernando Usma, head of search and rescue for the Colombian Red Cross's Quindio branch, teams detected sounds and signs suggesting survivors remained trapped beneath the debris. Officials indicated that approximately 24 hours remained as the critical window for locating people alive under the rubble.
President Abelardo De La Espriella, who recently assumed office, announced that 1,000 security force members would be deployed to Cali by dawn following reports of looting in the affected city. Both Cali and Pereira implemented overnight curfews. The disaster echoes a devastating 1999 earthquake that affected the same region and killed over 1,000 people.
