Mother searches for son amid earthquake rubble in Colombia

In the wake of Colombia's devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake, Mariela García clings to hope as she searches for her son, Juan Pablo Arango, a university student believed to be trapped in the rubble of his residence in Cali.

García recounted a powerful premonition that led her to the collapsed building, where she found her son's car parked outside. "I had a very strong premonition. I didn't know what was happening, but I had to come look for him. Something inside me told me I had to come. I only found his car parked outside this house," she told EFE, her voice filled with anguish.

Juan Pablo is on the verge of graduating as a dentist, a dream his mother cherishes. She remains at the site, a former university residence in the Pampalinda neighborhood, where rescue teams and neighbors are working tirelessly to sift through the debris. Other students are also feared to be trapped, adding to the urgency of the search.

The earthquake has left at least 111 dead and 87 injured across Colombia. In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder confirmed the collapse of 26 buildings and requested national support for rescue operations. The city's health infrastructure also suffered, with several medical facilities evacuated or under structural assessment, prompting authorities to declare a state of orange alert for the health network.