A 32-year-old woman has been rescued alive after being trapped under rubble for 36 hours following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia. Daniela Largo was extracted from beneath a collapsed building in the city of Pereira after a lengthy rescue effort. Firefighters managed to reach her by digging a tunnel beneath four concrete slabs that had buried her.
Largo's rescue operation lasted 10 hours. Firefighters, aided by colleagues from the capital, Bogotá, and a national police disaster response team, dug two tunnels to reach her. Oxygen was provided through an opening dug from above, but she was freed through a second tunnel dug from below. A local resident reportedly heard Largo crying for help, and emergency workers located her using a small camera.
The earthquake has claimed at least 188 lives, with hundreds still missing. Pereira has confirmed 79 deaths, second only to Cali, where 95 fatalities have been reported, according to figures from the Association of Colombian Capital Cities (Asocapitales). In Pereira, at least 92 buildings collapsed. Fifteen people are known to be trapped, and 37 others have been reported missing.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella celebrated Largo's rescue on social media, calling it "news which fills us with hope." Largo's mother stated that her 12-year-old son is awaiting her return.
In Cali, Colombia's third-most populous city, more than 200 people remained trapped as of Tuesday afternoon. The earthquake's epicentre was located west of Pereira, with the strongest shaking felt in areas closer to the Pacific coast between Quibdó and Cali.
