Colombia intensifies search for earthquake survivors as 72-hour deadline looms

Rescue teams and first responders in Colombia raced against time early Thursday, intensifying efforts to find survivors of Monday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake. The tremor, the most powerful in the country this century, has claimed over 287 lives and injured approximately 3,500 people. Officials report that around 500 individuals remain missing, potentially trapped under the debris of more than 100 collapsed buildings, particularly in the heavily impacted regions of Cali and Pereira.

The 72-hour mark, considered critical for finding survivors alive, passed as rescue operations entered their final phase. Cali's mayor, Alejandro Eder, stated that rescue efforts were concluding. In the Chocó department, another severely affected area, Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi announced the end of search operations following the rescue of a family. "In the department of Chocó, we are no longer searching for anyone under the rubble," she declared, adding that authorities would formally shift focus to assisting those displaced.

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In the department of Chocó, we are no longer searching for anyone under the rubble.

The attention now turns to infrastructure assessment, especially after four more tremors were registered within 12 hours, the latest on August 12. "We remain on maximum alert; the risk has not yet passed," the governor warned. The Colombian Geological Service reported over 150 aftershocks since the main quake, increasing pressure on survivors and posing risks to rescuers working in unstable debris. International teams from Israel, Ecuador, El Salvador, and the United States are supporting ongoing operations in other affected cities.

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We remain on maximum alert; the risk has not yet passed.