Colombia searches for over 3,000 missing after a powerful quake kills more than 170
PEREIRA, Colombia (AP) — Search and rescue efforts resumed Tuesday in dozens of cities and towns in western Colombia after a powerful earthquake left over 3,000 missing, with many trapped under the debris.Mayors and governors from Cali, Pereira, Choco and Manizales said Tuesday at least 179 people had died in those four areas; the federal government, which last updated its estimates in the hours after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit Monday, has said at least 111 died.Around 1,600 buildings across the region have been reported damaged or collapsed. Soldiers, rescue personnel and families picked through the rubble, passing large pieces of concrete by hand along lines of volunteers.Standing near the remains of his brother’s collapsed apartment building in Pereira, Jairo Vargas said he made the 220-kilometer (135-mile) drive from Medellin, hoping to find his brother alive.“I’m absolutely certain he’s here. Absolutely certain,” Vargas said, adding that his brother’s car is…
Search and rescue operations are underway in western Colombia following a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake on Monday, which has left over 3,000 people missing and more than 170 dead across several cities, including Cali, Pereira, Choco, and Manizales. Approximately 1,600 buildings have been damaged or collapsed, with Pereira and Cali particularly hard-hit. Colombia's new president, Abelardo De la Espriella, who was inaugurated days earlier, has mobilized military and police to assist, stating, "Choco will never again be the 'land of the forgotten.'" Families are desperately searching for loved ones, with many posting information on citizen-run websites. The US State Department has pledged $15.5 million in aid, and other Latin American governments are also offering assistance.
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