Colombia Earthquake Kills Over 180 as Rescuers Search Rubble

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday, leaving at least 181 people officially confirmed dead and thousands injured, prompting President Abelardo de la Espriella to declare a state of emergency.
Providing an update from Pereira on Tuesday, President Espriella reported that almost 2,600 people were injured, nearly 200 remain missing, over 1,100 homes were destroyed, and more than 8,000 were damaged. Although the official death toll stands at 181, aggregated figures from local officials suggest the total could exceed 240. Fresh aftershocks continued into Tuesday, forcing many residents in Cali and Pereira to sleep outdoors.
Key impact details across affected cities include:
- Cali: In this city of 2.2 million people, 95 deaths were recorded. Mayor Alejandro Eder reported 239 people trapped, 949 injured, and 45 collapsed buildings, including upper floors of a hospital. In the Calima neighborhood, four children died and others were seriously injured at Gimnasio Calima school, with 30 children sent to care centres. Municipal Mayor Antonio Cadavid instituted a curfew from 20:00 local time until 06:00 Wednesday to prevent looting.
- Pereira: One of the worst-hit areas, where residents reported severe disruption, collapsed structures in Bolívar Square, and trapped vehicles.
- Manizales: Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas confirmed five deaths and 60 partially or totally collapsed buildings, while urging the public to avoid sharing unverified social media information.
International support has begun assembling following the disaster. UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed solidarity and support, while Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares noted 164 Spaniards remain missing. The Trump administration announced a $15.5m (£11.5m) donation, with additional offers of help coming from Ecuador, Brazil, El Salvador, and Venezuela.


