Night and day rescue efforts continue in earthquake-hit Pereira

Despite a citywide curfew, the streets of Pereira, Colombia, are bustling with activity as hundreds of citizens work tirelessly through the night and early morning. They are aiding emergency responders in the arduous task of rescuing survivors trapped beneath the rubble of buildings devastated by a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake.

In La Libertad Park, located in the city center, crowds are assisting rescue teams. These teams are utilizing heavy machinery and large cranes to remove debris, searching for individuals still alive within the collapsed four-story building. The earthquake, which struck at 07:34 local time on Monday, has profoundly altered the lives of the residents.

The rescue operation is primarily led by the Pereira Fire Department, situated in the coffee-growing region of central Colombia. The earthquake has claimed at least 132 lives and injured hundreds, according to figures from the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, as official government numbers have not been updated since Monday afternoon. Numerous buildings have collapsed, and significant damage has been reported to hospitals, airports, public services, and transportation systems, particularly in the central and western parts of the country.

Pereira, the capital of Risaralda department, which borders Chocó's San José del Palmar (the earthquake's epicenter), has recorded the highest number of fatalities with 60 deaths. Many residents spent the night awake, guarding their homes, some of which are completely destroyed, while others have structural damage posing safety risks. Large parts of the city remain without electricity or gas, and mobile phone and internet services have been gradually restored throughout the day.

Navigating the city has become an ordeal. Streets are blocked by debris or barricaded by authorities to prevent passage over potentially unstable bridges. Citizens are defying the curfew to help rescue survivors. In the Mejía Robledo neighborhood, a residential area with businesses, one family lost everything. A woman, who preferred to remain anonymous, told EFE that the house where her 91-year-old father operated an auto repair shop was completely destroyed. She stayed near the wreckage, ensuring nothing was taken, while waiting for rescue teams to see if they could save an elderly man named Don José, who rented a room in her father's house and whose moans they had heard throughout the day.

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She stayed in front of the house watching that no one took anything from what was left among the rubble. She was also there waiting for the rescue agencies to return to see if they could rescue Don José, an elderly man whom her father rented a room in his house and whom, according to her account, they heard groaning throughout the day.