A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 250 people [1] and leaving thousands missing.
The disaster marks the strongest seismic event to hit the country in a decade [3, 4]. The scale of the destruction in urban centers has triggered a massive humanitarian response as rescue teams race against time to find survivors trapped under rubble.
Rescue workers and volunteers are concentrated in the city of Cali, where the quake caused significant building collapses [1, 2]. Search teams are using dogs and drones to locate individuals buried beneath the debris. The urgency of the mission was highlighted by the experience of those on the ground.
"We heard them screaming," an unnamed rescuer said [2].
Casualty figures have fluctuated as the search continues. While some early reports cited 111 [5] or 150 deaths [3], more recent estimates place the death toll at at least 250 [1]. The number of missing persons is also climbing, with reports ranging from more than 2,700 [6] to at least 3,000 people [7].
Local authorities and volunteers are working through the night to clear streets and reach collapsed residential structures. The earthquake's intensity has overwhelmed local emergency services, necessitating a surge of volunteers to assist in the recovery efforts.
Communication lines in western Colombia remain unstable, complicating the coordination of aid, and the accounting of those still missing. Families have gathered beside the debris of their homes, waiting for news of loved ones as rescuers continue to dig through the ruins of the city.
“"We heard them screaming."”
The magnitude and resulting casualties of this earthquake highlight the vulnerability of urban infrastructure in western Colombia. The disparity in initial death tolls and missing persons reports reflects the chaotic nature of the immediate aftermath in Cali, where the collapse of high-density buildings likely trapped a large number of residents, complicating the census of victims.
