Race Against Time in Colombia Amidst Debris One Day After Major Earthquake

Colombia is intensely focused on rescue operations and damage assessment one day after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck several regions of the country. The seismic event, which occurred Monday morning, has led to hundreds of deaths and left thousands of homes damaged, prompting an urgent search for survivors amidst the rubble.

President Abelardo de la Espriella reported 181 fatalities, while Asocapitales, an association of capital cities, stated 188 deaths. Consolidated figures from regional authorities, however, suggest the death toll may be as high as 240. The most severe damage has been reported in the Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, and Chocó regions, though Caldas and Quindío also sustained impacts.

President de la Espriella has been coordinating the government's response, visiting affected cities like Pereira and Manizales. In Pereira, the international airport Matecaña has suspended commercial operations due to damage to the runway, communication systems, and control tower, only accommodating essential flights. In Manizales, the government plans to provide rental subsidies for approximately 1,150 families who lost their homes.

Search and rescue operations continued Tuesday, with a particular focus on Cali, where 95 deaths have been recorded. A glimmer of hope emerged with the rescue of Diana Troncoso, a 31-year-old biomedical scientist, who was pulled alive from a collapsed four-story building in the Torres del Limonar neighborhood. Efforts are still underway to locate others in that same location. In the municipality of El Cairo, Valle del Cauca, an estimated 80% of homes have collapsed, according to regional authorities.