Colombia Quake Toll Hits 265 as Search Goes On
Rescue teams in Colombia are racing against time to find survivors after a powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake killed at least 265 people and left nearly 500 unaccounted for. The disaster has caused widespread destruction across western Colombia, with thousands injured and homes reduced to rubble.
Colombia Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 265
The earthquake struck shortly after 7 a.m. local time on August 10, causing extensive damage across major cities and Colombia’s coffee-growing region.
Authorities said at least 3,770 people were injured and more than 9,550 homes were destroyed. Pereira reported 83 deaths, while Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, recorded at least 74 fatalities.
Rescuers continued searching collapsed buildings as the operation approached the critical 72-hour period when the chances of finding survivors are considered significantly higher.
Search for Colombia Quake Survivors Continues
In Cali, rescue efforts were concentrated on seven damaged buildings where people could still be trapped.
Emergency teams, soldiers and local residents worked together to remove debris, while authorities restricted access around some rescue sites to reduce vibrations and allow specialist equipment to detect possible movement beneath the rubble.
Aftershocks remain an additional danger for rescue workers and residents in damaged areas.
Colombia Announces Emergency Reconstruction Fund
President Abelardo De La Espriella announced plans for an emergency reconstruction fund to rebuild homes, hospitals, schools and infrastructure damaged by the earthquake.
The government has also declared an economic emergency as authorities assess the full scale of the destruction.
Damage to roads and infrastructure has disrupted parts of Colombia’s major coffee-producing region, although exports are being redirected through Caribbean ports.
