Colombia Scrambles to Find Survivors as 72-Hour Rescue Window Closes After 7.4 Earthquake

Rescue teams in Colombia are racing against time on Thursday afternoon to find survivors trapped under rubble following a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country on Monday morning local time. The critical 72-hour window for locating survivors is about to close, with official death tolls at 265 and over 3,500 injured, while nearly 500 people remain missing. Earlier reports of thousands missing were revised downward after government verifications.

The hardest-hit cities, Cali and Pereira, have seen continuous rescue operations for three days, with teams using cranes, search dogs, and manual efforts to clear debris. Rescuers pause periodically to listen for signs of life, hoping to detect faint calls for help. Among the dramatic rescues is that of three-month-old Solomon, pulled from the rubble of a collapsed five-story building in Cali hours after the quake, after his father’s faint voice was heard calling out. Both infant and father were hospitalized in stable condition, though Solomon’s mother and her brother remain trapped under debris.

In Pereira, rescuers focus on a collapsed bakery where a vendor, Pablo Louaiza, is believed to be alive based on signals detected beneath the ruins. Family members anxiously await updates as rescuers ask for knocks to confirm his presence. The earthquake destroyed over 11,000 homes, leaving thousands homeless and many spending nights outdoors amid aftershocks, which have exceeded 100 since Monday.

Colombia’s newly inaugurated president, Abelardo de la Espriella, declared a state of economic emergency and three days of national mourning. International aid has started arriving, including emergency assistance from the United States, the European Union, and Israel, which sent a rescue team following Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s directive. This aid comes amid criticism of the new government’s initial handling of the disaster, with accusations of delays and reluctance to accept some international help. The Colombian government denies political motives behind aid decisions, stating requests were made based on professional qualifications of rescue teams.

Citizens across Colombia have mobilized to provide food, water, and supplies to affected neighborhoods, while blood donation centers see long lines. The disaster marks a severe test for the new administration, which took office just days before the earthquake struck.