Colombia earthquake: Search for survivors enters final phase

Rescuers in Colombia are making a final push to find survivors of a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the country, as the crucial 72-hour window for rescue operations nears its end. The quake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, has resulted in a devastating death toll of 265, with nearly 3,500 injured and approximately 500 people still missing, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella.

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Our efforts are focused on the disappeared

In cities like Cali and Pereira, emergency crews have been working tirelessly through the night, using their hands, cranes, and sniffer dogs to listen for any signs of life beneath collapsed buildings. The 72-hour mark, considered the most critical period for finding survivors, arrived early Thursday. Residents like Martha Perez in Cali expressed feelings of helplessness as relatives are believed to be trapped, but clung to hope, stating, "We will hold on to (hope) until the very end."

President de la Espriella has declared the disaster an "economic emergency" and announced three days of national mourning, vowing to help the country recover. Official figures indicate that over 11,000 dwellings have been destroyed, leaving thousands of families homeless. The president stated, "We will do what is necessary... to emerge again as a country and as a society."

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We will hold on to (hope) until the very end

In Pereira, rescue efforts are concentrated on a collapsed bakery where a street vendor is believed to be trapped. Rescuers using vibration-detecting equipment have reported possible signs of life from Pablo Loaiza, fueling anxious hope among relatives. His niece, Sara Loaiza, shared her emotional state: "They tell us it could be him. My heart is about to burst out of my chest."

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All of us here, the entire city of Cali, are hoping to find more survivors

Volunteer rescuers continue to work diligently, pausing every half hour to listen for any sounds from beneath the rubble. The search for survivors is entering its final phase, with the nation grappling with the immense scale of the tragedy.

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entering the final phase