Colombia quake: In Cali’s ruins, an ‘overwhelming sense of humanity’
As rescuers search for signs of life beneath collapsed buildings, people across Cali have come out with water, food, tools and often just their bare hands, to help. The UN has deployed teams and resources to support the response and meet the most urgent needs.‘Incredibly intense’Víctor Manuel Rodríguez thought he might be living his last moments when the building where he lives began to shake.He was on the sixth and top floor of his apartment building in Cali when the windows shattered and, looking outside, he saw nearby structures starting to collapse. He grabbed his dog and ran down the stairs.It was really hard for all of us to feel that this could be our last day.“It was incredibly intense,” he recalls. “It was really hard for all of us to feel that this could be our last day.”Víctor spent several hours outside while structural checks were carried out. When he was finally allowed back in, he straightened up his apartment and began gathering anything that might be useful in an emergency: a flashlight, gloves, whistles and some of the gear he normally takes hiking.Then he went back out – this time, to help others.He headed to Capri, in southern Cali, where several buildings had collapsed. The area was familiar: the housing complex where he grew up is nearby. He also knew that a friend was still trapped beneath the rubble.“We’re waiting and hoping she’s alive,” he said as the search continued.
