A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia’s coffee-growing region early on Monday, killing at least 164 people and reducing buildings to rubble in several cities, as rescue teams continued searching for survivors.
Cali was among the worst-hit areas, with at least 85 deaths reported. Several buildings collapsed or were severely damaged, while parts of a hospital caved in, trapping patients and forcing around 600 others to receive treatment outdoors.
In Pereira, authorities reported 66 deaths, with residential areas badly damaged and buildings reduced to debris. Rescue workers, assisted by police, soldiers and volunteers, used heavy machinery and their bare hands to search through the rubble.
President Abelardo De La Espriella said hundreds of people remained missing and announced the deployment of 1,000 security personnel to Cali amid reports of looting. Curfews were imposed in Cali and Pereira.
The devastation has revived memories of the 1999 earthquake that struck the same region and killed more than 1,000 people.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had activated its Copernicus satellite service and provided funding to support rescue and relief operations, including through the Red Cross.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed condolences to the Colombian government and people, saying Pakistan stood in solidarity with those affected by the disaster.
