A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's coffee-growing heartland early Monday, killing at least 164 people and devastating cities with collapsed buildings and widespread damage. The seismic event has left an estimated 1,600 structures damaged or destroyed, forcing thousands into the streets and straining already limited resources.
Rescue efforts are in full swing across the country, with emergency workers, soldiers, police, and volunteers working around the clock to search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble. Using excavators and at times their bare hands, teams are sifting through debris in cities like Cali and Pereira, which have reported significant destruction and a high number of casualties.
In Cali, a city of approximately 2.2 million people, at least 85 deaths have been confirmed. The quake severely damaged numerous buildings, with some left leaning precariously. The collapse of several upper floors in a city hospital, including those housing pediatric care, trapped patients and led to approximately 600 individuals being treated on rubble-strewn streets.
Pereira, the capital of the Risaralda region, reported 66 fatalities. The city experienced extensive damage, with entire residential blocks reduced to piles of concrete and twisted steel. In the rural province of Choco, closest to the epicenter, 13 people died. Choco, one of Colombia's poorest and most neglected regions, faces significant challenges due to its inaccessibility, with much of the area reachable only by boat, through jungle, or by small aircraft.
President Abelardo De La Espriella, who was sworn into office just days prior to the earthquake, is facing his first major crisis. He announced that 1,000 members of the security forces would be deployed to Cali to address reports of looting, and curfews were implemented in both Cali and Pereira on Monday night. De La Espriella has pledged to mobilize the entire military and police apparatus to Choco and announced rental subsidies for displaced residents.
The disaster has drawn comparisons to a devastating 1999 earthquake that struck the same region, killing over 1,000 people, and to catastrophic quakes in neighboring Venezuela in June that claimed more than 6,300 lives.
International aid is beginning to arrive, with the European Union mobilizing its Copernicus satellite service to support rescue operations and providing funding through the Red Cross. The U.S. State Department has announced $15.5 million in aid for emergency shelter, food, and other relief supplies. Governments across Latin America have also pledged assistance.
Amidst the devastation, stories of survival have emerged, including the rescue of a six-month-old baby and her mother from collapsed building debris. Such moments offer a glimmer of hope as rescue teams continue their critical work in the affected areas.