Rescue teams in Colombia are racing against time as the death toll from Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake climbs past 250, with more than 2,700 people still reported missing.
The country’s worst earthquake in a decade struck western Colombia, hitting Cali and Pereira hardest. Authorities report 101 dead in Pereira alone, and 95 in Cali, the nation’s third-largest city. Rescuers are using dogs, drones, cranes and bare hands to search collapsed buildings, working through the night in temperatures near 30 degrees Celsius. Cali’s public health secretary says the city’s morgue is now full.
Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a national disaster and announced a three-month economic relief package for the hard-hit coffee-growing region of Risaralda. The United States has pledged 15.5 million dollars in emergency assistance, and the Inter-American Development Bank has made 50 million dollars available for reconstruction.
Authorities warn the death toll is expected to keep rising as search efforts continue, particularly in Chocó near the epicentre, where damaged infrastructure and communications are complicating the response.
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