Rescue teams in western Colombia are searching for more than 3,000 missing people following a magnitude-7.4 earthquake [3].
The disaster has strained the country's new government and emergency services as they race against time to locate survivors trapped beneath rubble. The scale of the destruction in urban centers has created a massive humanitarian challenge for local authorities.
The earthquake struck on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2024, primarily affecting the city of Pereira and surrounding towns [1, 3]. By Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2024, rescue operations were still underway as the Pereira Fire Department and the Special Operations Unit for Emergencies and Disasters worked to clear debris [1, 3].
Reports on the death toll vary. One report indicates at least 111 people died [1], while another report states the number is at least 250 [5]. Approximately 1,600 buildings were damaged or collapsed across the region [4].
President Abelardo de la Espriella has been overseeing the emergency response as teams navigate the ruins of collapsed structures. Among the survivors, Daniela Largo Sanchez was rescued after being trapped for 36 hours [5].
Local rescue crews are prioritizing high-density residential areas where the risk of entrapment is highest. The magnitude of the quake caused widespread structural failure, leaving thousands of residents displaced and without shelter.
“Rescue teams in western Colombia are searching for more than 3,000 missing people”
The discrepancy in death toll reports and the high number of missing persons suggest a chaotic early response phase and significant challenges in communication. The collapse of 1,600 structures indicates that local building codes may have been insufficient for a magnitude-7.4 event, potentially leading to a long-term infrastructure crisis in western Colombia.
