Newly appointed President of Colombia Abelardo de la Espriella declared three days of mourning on Wednesday for the 240 victims of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that hit the country on Monday, causing hundreds of buildings to collapse and thousands of people to go missing.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing across the country, especially in Cali and Pereira, the two cities that have suffered the most damage.
The latest report from national authorities stated that, as of Tuesday evening, 181 people had died, 2,774 were injured, and more than 20,000 had been affected by the disaster.
However, reports from local authorities put the death toll at at least 240 as of Wednesday morning, according to the news agency EFE. Local outlets reported that at least 2,500 people remain missing.
According to official reports, 388 cities and towns have been affected, with more than 20,000 homes damaged and 3,715 destroyed. In addition, 64 buildings have collapsed and more than 1,000 schools have suffered damage.
