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Colombia in 'final phase' of quake search as deaths rise
🇮🇪 Ireland /Disasters & Emergencies

Colombia in 'final phase' of quake search as deaths rise

From RTÉ News · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • Rescue efforts in Colombia have entered their final phase as the death toll from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake has risen to 265, with over 3,500 injured and nearly 500 missing.
  • Rescuers are desperately searching for survivors beneath collapsed buildings, focusing on potential signs of life detected in Pereira.
  • The disaster has been declared an economic emergency, with over 11,000 dwellings destroyed and thousands left homeless.

Rescue operations in Colombia are now in their critical final phase as the country grapples with the aftermath of a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake, the strongest recorded this century. The seismic event has claimed 265 lives, injured more than 3,500 people, and left nearly 500 individuals unaccounted for, according to official figures.

They tell us it could be him.

— Sara LoaizaThe niece of a man potentially trapped under rubble expresses hope and anxiety.

In the city of Pereira, rescue teams are concentrating their efforts on a collapsed bakery where there is hope that a street vendor, trapped since Monday's quake, may still be alive. Specialized equipment detecting vibrations has picked up possible signs of life from Pablo Loaiza, fueling anxious anticipation among relatives gathered at the scene. His niece, 16-year-old Sara Loaiza, expressed the palpable tension, stating, "My heart is about to burst out of my chest."

My heart is about to burst out of my chest.

— Sara LoaizaThe niece of a man potentially trapped under rubble expresses the emotional toll of the rescue efforts.

As the 72-hour window for finding survivors beneath rubble nears its end, Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder acknowledged the shift, stating, "We're entering the final phase. That doesn't mean there won't be survivors afterwards, but it is more difficult." Emergency crews in Cali and Pereira are working tirelessly through the nights, using their hands, cranes, and sniffer dogs, pausing only to listen for any faint sounds of life. Volunteer rescuer Johana Sanchez reported that three people had been pulled out alive and three dead so far.

We're entering the final phase. That doesn't mean there won't be survivors afterwards, but it is more difficult.

— Alejandro EderThe Mayor of Cali describes the current stage of the rescue operations.

The Colombian president has declared a state of "economic emergency" and announced three days of national mourning. The disaster has devastated infrastructure, with over 11,000 homes destroyed and thousands of families displaced, many forced to spend consecutive nights outdoors due to damage or fear of aftershocks. In towns like El Cairo, residents are relying on community kitchens amidst persistent power outages, while in Roldanillo, business owners like Yuliana Mendez face the daunting task of rebuilding from scratch.

Every half hour we make everyone be quiet to see if we can find people alive.

— Johana SanchezA volunteer rescuer details the painstaking process of searching for survivors.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by RTÉ News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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