Colombia earthquake toll reaches 288 dead, 202 missing

The death toll from a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday has climbed to 288, with 202 people still missing as of Friday. The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported the latest figures, noting a decrease in the number of missing from previous tallies without specifying the reasons for the reduction.

The seismic event has left 4,018 people injured and 354 rescued from collapsed structures. The UNGRD has registered 145,601 affected individuals, comprising 57,516 families across 448 municipalities in 15 departments. The scale of destruction is extensive, with 80,744 homes damaged, 12,504 destroyed, and 66 buildings collapsed, particularly in the cities of Cali and Pereira.

Essential services have also been severely impacted. At least 2,595 educational centers, 260 health facilities, 267 roads, 87 aqueducts, and 55 bridges sustained damage. Five airports were also affected, with Pereira's Matecaña Airport restricted to military and humanitarian flights. The earthquake, which had its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, is the strongest recorded in Colombia this century. President Abelardo de la Espriella described the scene in Pereira as "apocalyptic."

Rescue and evaluation efforts are ongoing, with teams working to find the missing, treat the injured, and assess the structural integrity of damaged buildings and infrastructure. The UNGRD continues to coordinate response actions in the affected territories.