Colombia’s disaster relief chief vowed Friday to keep searching for hundreds of people still missing after a massive earthquake, as rescuers combed through rubble in a desperate effort to find survivors despite the end of the critical 72-hour rescue window.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, devastated the western cities of Cali and Pereira, destroying nearly 13,000 homes across the coffee-growing region and along the coast.
The quake struck Monday, killing 281 people and injuring nearly 4,000, President Abelardo de la Espriella told reporters. Another 379 people remained missing.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella speaks during a press conference, Bogota, Colombia, Aug. 13, 2026. (EPA Photo)
Rescuers faced diminishing hopes of finding survivors, as most people trapped beneath earthquake rubble who are rescued alive are typically found within the first 72 hours. Still, emergency teams continued digging through collapsed buildings and debris in search of those unaccounted for.
