Israeli Home Front Command Continues Rescue Efforts After Colombia Earthquake

An Israeli Home Front Command delegation is actively engaged in rescue operations in Cali, Colombia, following a powerful earthquake on August 10, 2026. The 7.4 magnitude quake struck western and central Colombia, severely impacting Cali, a city of about two million residents, along with Pereira and Manizales. The Israeli team, led by Colonel Yossi Pinto, is working alongside local rescue teams and volunteers at five major destruction sites to locate and extract missing persons trapped under damaged buildings.

Colonel Pinto stated that the delegation arrived in Colombia 96 hours after the earthquake and immediately began operations. Their mission focuses on finding missing individuals and rescuing injured survivors, supported by engineering and specialized rescue teams. Despite extensive efforts, no live survivors have been found so far; those recovered have been deceased. The team expects to complete the current rescue phase within two days and then assist local authorities in the recovery and rebuilding process.

The earthquake's epicenter was near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department, one of Colombia's poorest and most isolated regions. It was the strongest earthquake recorded in Colombia this century, felt across neighboring countries including Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela, though without significant damage there. In Cali and surrounding areas, thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and public buildings were damaged or destroyed. Reports indicate nearly 5,000 homes were affected, with hundreds destroyed, alongside damage to medical centers and schools. Some airports were temporarily closed for safety inspections.

The Israeli delegation is the largest foreign rescue team to arrive in Colombia, conducting detailed assessments of building safety in coordination with local authorities while continuing their search and rescue operations at three of the five main disaster sites.

Summary: An Israeli Home Front Command team is conducting rescue and damage assessment operations in Cali, Colombia, after a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake on August 10, 2026, with no live survivors found yet and recovery efforts ongoing.

Points: - Israeli Home Front Command leads major rescue mission in Cali after August 10 earthquake. - The 7.4 quake was Colombia's strongest this century, heavily damaging Cali and nearby cities. - Rescue teams operate at five sites, finding no live survivors so far. - Nearly 5,000 homes and numerous public buildings were damaged or destroyed. - The mission will shift to recovery and rebuilding efforts within days.

Topic: security israel_relevant: true Entities: {"people":["Yossi Pinto"],"organizations":["Israeli Home Front Command"],"places":["Cali","Colombia","San José del Palmar","Chocó","Pereira","Manizales"]}