Colombia’s rescue services are continuing search operations following a powerful earthquake that struck one of the country’s main coffee-growing regions early Monday. Local authorities estimate that the death toll has reached around 224, although the figure remains preliminary.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake was one of the strongest to hit Colombia in decades. Cali, Pereira and other areas of western Colombia were among the hardest hit, with homes, schools, medical facilities and other buildings damaged or destroyed.
According to the United Nations, 126 deaths and 1,495 injuries had been confirmed as of Monday evening. Local authorities reported a significantly higher death toll on Tuesday. The full scale of the disaster is still being assessed as communications are gradually restored in the worst-affected areas.
Rescuers Continue Searching Beneath the Rubble
Rescue teams are working among collapsed structures with cranes and excavators, while some debris is being cleared by hand. In Pereira, residents and volunteers have formed human chains to remove rubble, while others listen for possible signs of life beneath the ruins.
A hospital in Cali was partially destroyed, leaving several patients trapped inside. Medical staff were forced to treat around 600 other people outside the damaged building.
The earthquake also caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure. Nearly 5,000 homes were damaged, while six airports — in Quibdó, Pereira, Manizales, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura — were closed. Some areas continue to experience disruptions to electricity, water supplies, medical services and telephone communications.
Authorities have established emergency command centres and begun distributing drinking water, food, medicine and other essential supplies. The United States has pledged $15.5 million in emergency assistance, while the Inter-American Development Bank has provided $50 million for recovery efforts.
Rescue operations are ongoing. With communications still unstable and some affected areas difficult to reach, authorities may need several more days to determine the full extent of the destruction and establish the final death toll.
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