Powerful earthquake in Colombia leaves hundreds dead

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday at 07:34 local time, with its epicenter located near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The disaster, the strongest to hit the country in at least a decade, has resulted in at least 254 confirmed deaths as of Tuesday morning. Fatalities include 101 people in Pereira and 95 in Cali, with many Indigenous communities in the Chocó region remaining isolated without power or basic services.

Rescue operations are ongoing across the affected coffee-growing heartland, where buildings, schools, and health centers have collapsed. In a notable operation, responders in Cali successfully extracted a 31-year-old woman from a destroyed five-story building after a 16-hour mission. Rescuers believe at least 24 other individuals remain trapped in that specific structure, with at least two known to be alive. Search teams frequently halt operations to maintain silence, attempting to detect faint signals from survivors.

The earthquake occurred shortly after the inauguration of President Abelardo De La Espriella, who has pledged economic assistance to displaced residents. The new government is currently reviewing a massive $180 billion budget amidst existing austerity plans, as the nation assesses the widespread destruction and long-term recovery needs.