Colombia quake death toll tops 250 as rescuers race to find survivors

Rescue crews in western Colombia dug through mountains of rubble Tuesday, desperately searching for survivors of a powerful earthquake that killed at least 250 people. The 7.4-magnitude quake, the most devastating in Colombia this century, struck the coffee-growing region early Monday. It flattened apartment blocks, homes, schools, and health centers.

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The structure started creaking and just as we ran outside the building collapsed.

Separate reports indicated 254 deaths by Tuesday morning, with 101 in Pereira and 95 in Cali. Many Indigenous communities in the Choco region, near the epicenter, remain without power or basic services, complicating rescue efforts. The earthquake occurred just days after the inauguration of President Abelardo De La Espriella, who visited the affected areas and pledged economic support for displaced residents.

The government, which recently implemented austerity measures, is revising a budget exceeding $180 billion. The National Coffee Federation is assessing damage to farms and infrastructure, according to its chief, German Bahamon. Rescuers worked through the night and into Tuesday, forming human chains and using heavy equipment to clear debris.

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There were people injured, bleeding, screaming and trying to reach their families.

Colombia's location at the intersection of tectonic plates makes it seismically active, but earthquakes of this magnitude are rare. Residents described harrowing escapes. Rosa Gonzalez recounted fleeing her guesthouse just before it collapsed, while influencer Jose Gallego captured the violent shaking on video at Pereira airport. Over 100 aftershocks had been recorded by Tuesday afternoon, adding to the devastation.

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I crossed the city on foot; it took two hours and the scenes were devastating. It was like a nightmare come to life.