Colombian Rescuers Pull 32-Year-Old Woman Alive After 7.4 Quake Near San José del Palmar

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday at 07:34 local time, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, and the government declared a national disaster situation as rescuers searched for survivors.

“el último anuncio del presidente Abelardo de la Espriella fue de 181 víctimas mortales”

RTVE.es

The death toll figures varied across outlets and updates, with La Nación reporting 240 victims and more than 1300 heridos and 2000 desaparecidos, while RTVE.es said the latest presidential announcement from Abelardo de la Espriella was 181 víctimas mortales.

Acento

In Cali, the BBC reported at least 85 dead and said the quake was felt across a huge area, while CBC described rescuers cutting through twisted steel and working through the night with cranes and excavators in the hardest-hit cities.

In Pereira, the Inquirer.net reported Colombian rescuers pulled a 32-year-old woman alive from rubble, and it quoted her mother, Sandra Milena Perez, saying, "We were losing hope and then we received a call."

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara told Blu Radio, "We are … focused on the immediate task of saving lives, guaranteeing the arrival of rescue teams," as the rescue effort expanded across damaged neighbourhoods.

The BBC quoted Dan Cutler, who said, "I've never experienced anything like it," after being woken by the quake in Cali, while CBC said local estimates on Tuesday put the toll around 254.

BBC

International support began to arrive as the United States allocated $15.5 million US for emergency shelter, food, protection and damage assessments, and the Inter-American Development Bank said it had made $50 million US immediately available for reconstruction support if requested by the government.

RTVE.es said the European Union would contribute 2 million euros in help to affected communities, and it quoted José Manuel Restrepo saying, "Ya recibimos de organismos multilaterales propuestas de 1.300 millones de dólares de cooperación".

As the search continued, CBS News said President Abelardo de la Espriella reported 181 people died, 1,595 were injured, and 195 people were reported missing, while it also noted civilian-run databases suggesting missing could be as high as 3,900.

“At least 181 people died and 1,595 were injured”

CBS News

The Washington Post described rescuers searching the Del Valle University Hospital after a six-story wing collapsed in the 7.4-magnitude earthquake, and it said five people, including a child, were rescued alive while there was no sign of Héctor Jaramillo as of Tuesday evening.

Relief measures were also announced, including a suspension during three months of the payment of basic services like water and electricity, and a rental subsidy for those who lost their homes, according to Panamericana TV.

In the days after the quake, the BBC reported that Pope Leo XIV was "deeply saddened" and that EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU's Copernicus satellite was being used in the rescue operation, as authorities warned the death toll was likely to rise with more feared trapped under collapsed buildings.