Rescue teams in western Colombia raised their arms and clenched their fists on Thursday, calling for absolute silence to listen for survivors trapped beneath the debris of a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake, according to the Associated Press. The disaster, which struck the South American country on Monday, has left at least 265 people dead and hundreds more missing.
Search Operations Enter Critical Window in Cali
According to aid agencies cited by the Associated Press, the first 48 to 72 hours following an earthquake represent the prime window for retrieving survivors. However, rescue workers note that this timeframe can extend if individuals trapped beneath the rubble maintain access to food and water. Operating in Cali—one of the hardest-hit urban centers alongside Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó—volunteers and emergency personnel are racing against the clock.
“There might be two more people alive here, and I’m hopeful,” 25-year-old volunteer rescuer Daiana Rojas told the Associated Press, noting that search teams had detected sounds originating from deep within a collapsed structure since 2:30 a.m. Rojas, whose family survived the disaster unharmed, described the initial impact as the most powerful earthquake to hit Colombia this century.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder told reporters on Wednesday that rescue teams continue to register vital signs beneath the wreckage. “The next 20 hours are the most critical to find and rescue people alive,” Eder said, according to the Associated Press reporting.
Government Response and Missing Persons Discrepancy
The widespread destruction has presented a severe early test for Colombia’s new administration under President Abelardo de la Espriella. As emergency aid pushes into heavily damaged communities, official figures regarding the scope of the catastrophe vary significantly.
President de la Espriella stated Wednesday that nearly 500 people remain officially reported missing, while civilian-run databases place the figure at more than 4,200 missing individuals, according to Associated Press coverage. In total, the government estimates that more than 25,800 families have sustained direct impacts from the disaster.
On the ground, volunteers like Rojas continue to alternate between recovering bodies and witnessing rare moments of survival. “Whenever rescuers ask for silence, everyone stays still and tries not to move, speak or whisper,” Rojas told the Associated Press. “But when signs of life are found, all the teams start to applaud.”