Key facts
- Rescuers are attempting to free survivors trapped under rubble four days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia.
- The earthquake has killed 287 people, injured nearly 4,000, and left approximately 400 missing.
- Efforts are concentrated on a collapsed hotel where sounds of life were detected.
- The UN refugee agency warned the earthquake could cause further displacement in a country already facing humanitarian challenges.
- Reconstruction costs are estimated to be around $6 billion, or 1% of GDP.
Rescuers in Colombia are racing against time to free survivors trapped under rubble four days after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Andean nation. The emergency response has shifted towards accounting for the missing, though a rare sign of hope emerged with the detection of sounds from a collapsed residential block in Cali.
Efforts in Pereira are concentrated on a collapsed hotel where rescue workers believe people may still be alive. The body of Juan Felipe Giraldo, 24, who was set to marry that weekend, was later recovered from the rubble.
Authorities are also assessing the relocation of hundreds of families from a makeshift shelter in La Libertad park, as several nearby buildings are deemed at risk of collapse. Volunteers are combing through debris for personal items, while aid workers are requesting essential daily necessities.
The 7.4-magnitude quake, which struck on Monday, caused widespread destruction across western Colombia, toppling apartment blocks and damaging homes, schools, and hospitals. Tens of thousands of homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving many residents in shelters or unsafe buildings.
The United Nations refugee agency warned that the earthquake could trigger further displacement in a country already grappling with conflict and migration. The Norwegian Refugee Council highlighted the urgent need to reopen damaged schools as part of the recovery efforts.
Initial estimates suggest reconstruction costs could reach approximately $6 billion, or 1% of Colombia's gross domestic product. President Abelardo De La Espriella has vowed that reconstruction will proceed regardless of political affiliation, emphasizing increased investment in long-neglected communities.