Authorities in Colombia are reporting more than 160 deaths so far from the devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country’s west on Monday. Rescue teams continue working nonstop to pull survivors from the rubble as hospitals across the country treat over 600 injured. The death toll from the quake—the strongest to hit the country in decades—is expected to keep climbing. Footage from the scene shows multi-story buildings in cities like Pereira and Cali reduced to piles of rubble, and severe damage to a historic cathedral in Manizales.
Video: social media
Emergency crews, backed by police, soldiers and volunteers, worked through the night with excavators and by hand searching for survivors. In Cali alone at least 85 people were killed and dozens of buildings were completely destroyed or left dangerously tilted, forcing many residents simply to flee into the streets. At one city hospital, the upper floors dedicated to treating children collapsed, forcing hundreds of patients to receive treatment in debris-strewn streets.
Video: social media
Carmen Yasmin Garcia, a volunteer with rescue teams in Cali, described desperate efforts to pull people trapped in a collapsed building and said teams need more volunteer help and equipment to reach those still buried under concrete. “We still believe we can get the people out. We need more volunteers with sticks and shovels—the more people who help, the better.”
Video: social media
In Pereira, capital of Risaralda province, 66 deaths were reported and entire residential neighborhoods turned into piles of metal and concrete. Footage from the city’s airport showed dramatic moments as large sections of ceiling collapsed while passengers took cover. In rural Chocó province another 13 people were killed. Colombia’s incoming president, Abelardo de la Espriella, announced the deployment of 1,000 security personnel following reports of looting, and declared a nighttime curfew in major cities.