Rescue teams in Cali and across Colombia called for silence Thursday as the critical window to find survivors following Monday’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake narrowed.
With arms raised and fists clenched, rescue workers across the country paused Thursday to listen for any faint signs of life beneath the wreckage. The solemn quiet formed part of what authorities described as last-ditch attempts to pull survivors from the debris before time runs out following the 7.4-magnitude quake that struck Monday.
Humanitarian agencies generally consider the first 48 to 72 hours the prime window for locating survivors, though that timeframe can stretch if trapped individuals have access to food and water. As more than 72 hours passed, officials acknowledged that the operation was entering a grim new phase.
Rescuers Listen for Survivors Amid Cali Rubble
In Cali, one of the urban centers most heavily affected alongside Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó, volunteers and professionals maintained their vigil. Daiana Rojas, a 25-year-old local volunteer whose family escaped unharmed, spent her days searching the wreckage.
Rojas reported witnessing two survivors pulled alive from the debris alongside the recovery of bodies. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder told journalists Wednesday that rescue teams were still detecting signs of life beneath the collapsed structures, emphasizing that the subsequent 20 hours represented the most critical period to find people alive.
Mounting Casualties and Displaced Families Test the New Administration
The catastrophe has delivered an immediate test to Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, as his administration coordinates emergency response efforts. David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, addressed reporters Thursday night regarding the expanding toll.
Authorities put the verified death toll at over 270, with varying updates placing fatalities between 273 and 281 depending on the reporting agency.
International Relief and Financial Aid Flow In
As search operations began shifting toward recovering bodies in certain zones, international assistance continued to land. Colombian Vice President José Manuel Restrepo announced that rescue teams in Quibdó had concluded their search for survivors and bodies, pivoting entirely to the humanitarian phase.
The region awaited nearly 40 tons of total humanitarian aid supplies. Meanwhile, specialized personnel from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived to assist with structural engineering assessments and search operations, joining foreign aid offers from Peru, El Salvador, Mexico, and Brazil.
Financial pledges also mounted. President de la Espriella announced via social media that Colombia would receive a $10 million donation from the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, the South American Football Confederation and the Colombian Football Federation jointly pledged $1 million toward reconstruction.
Aftershocks Continue as Geological Survey Tracks Seismic Activity
The geological instability persisted Thursday when a 4.2-magnitude aftershock struck San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, which served as the earthquake’s epicenter. According to the Colombian Geological Survey, more than 160 aftershocks have rattled the country since Monday.
The agency noted that Colombia’s population of 54 million experiences an average of 2,500 earthquakes each month, though the vast majority remain minor tremors.
Contrasting Regional Disaster Responses
The national response in Colombia drew immediate comparisons to recent seismic events in neighboring Venezuela, where back-to-back earthquakes struck less than two months prior. Observers noted a stark contrast in administrative agility: while Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez waited nearly four hours to address her nation, de la Espriella established an emergency command post barely an hour after Monday’s tremor.
