Colombia Earthquake Kills 180: Rescuers Race to Save Survivors

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 in magnitude struck Colombia on Monday morning local time, leaving a trail of destruction across the country's western regions and killing at least 180 people. Rescue workers are operating around the clock in the cities of Cali and Pereira — the worst-affected urban centres — sifting through collapsed buildings in search of survivors.

Extent of the Disaster

The quake struck at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across hundreds of miles of western Colombia. While the official confirmed death toll stands at 181, local officials' aggregated figures suggest the number of fatalities may already exceed 240. Nearly 2,600 people have been injured, and close to 200 remain missing, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella, who gave an update from Pereira on Tuesday.

More than 1,100 homes were completely destroyed and over 8,000 sustained damage. Fresh aftershocks continued to be felt on Tuesday, hampering rescue efforts and forcing many residents in Cali and Pereira to spend the night outdoors out of fear their buildings might collapse.

Cali at the Centre of the Crisis

In Cali — a city of 2.2 million people that recorded 95 deaths — authorities established a unified command post to coordinate the emergency response. Mayor Alejandro Eder confirmed on Tuesday that 239 people remain trapped beneath rubble, with 949 injured and at least 45 buildings either fully or partially collapsed.

Among the most disturbing incidents: several upper floors of a hospital in the city, including paediatric wards, caved in, leaving patients trapped inside. In the Calima neighbourhood, four children died when part of the Gimnasio Calima school collapsed, injuring dozens more. Mayor Antonio Cadavid ordered a curfew from 20:00 local time until 06:00 Wednesday to prevent looting.

Government Response

President Espriella declared a national state of emergency immediately after the earthquake and has coordinated military and civil defence units to assist with rescue operations. The government is also appealing for international aid as the scale of the disaster becomes clearer. World news agencies report that search-and-rescue teams from neighbouring countries are being mobilised.

• Official death toll: 181 (aggregated local figures suggest over 240)
• Injured: nearly 2,600
• Missing: around 200
• Homes destroyed: more than 1,100
• Homes damaged: more than 8,000