CALI, Colombia (AP) — With arms raised and fists clenched, rescuers in Colombia called for silence Thursday as they listened for signs of life in the rubble of a deadly earthquake and raced to pull more survivors from the debris before time runs out.
The call for quiet was part of last-ditch efforts to find anyone else alive in the aftermath of the 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the South American country Monday, killing more than 270 people and leaving hundreds more missing.
Aid agencies consider the first two to three days after a quake to be the prime window for retrieving survivors. That time frame can be extended if those trapped have access to food and water.
“There might be two more people alive here, and I’m hopeful,” rescuer Daiana Rojas told The Associated Press. “We have been hearing sounds since 2:30 a.m., so our hope remains.”
Rojas and her family were unharmed by the quake, the most powerful to hit Colombia in this century. She has been working as a volunteer to help search for survivors in Cali, one of the most heavily damaged cities, along with Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó.
“I thought that was going to be my last moment alive,” she said, recalling the terror of the quake. “Seeing this situation in my city breaks my heart.”
Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.
“They are not a relative or a friend of mine, but it feels as they were,” she said of the survivors who have been found. “Whenever rescuers ask for silence, everyone stays still and tries not to move, speak or whisper. But when signs of life are found, all the teams start to applaud.”
Mayor says the next 20 hours will be critical
The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, told reporters Wednesday that rescue teams continue finding signs of life under the rubble and trying to save anyone within reach. “The next 20 hours are the most critical to find and rescue people alive,” he said.
But authorities recognize that the rescue effort is entering a grim phase as search teams begin shifting toward recovering bodies.
“The removal of debris begins now; more than 72 hours have passed,” Milton Castrillón, who works in the Cali mayor’s office, told AP, adding that the teams now lean on “miracles from God to find survivors.”
The death toll rose Thursday to 273, authorities said.
Over 3,800 people were reported injured, with nearly 12,600 homes destroyed and more than 74,800 homes damaged, according to David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.
The devastation has tested Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, and his government as they scramble to respond while aid groups seek to help the hardest hit communities.
De la Espriella said Wednesday that nearly 500 people were reported missing, though civilian-run databases put that number at more than 4,200. In total, more than 25,800 families have been affected, de la Espriella said.
In other developments, a 4.2 magnitude aftershock struck Thursday in San José del Palmar, in the Chocó region — the epicenter of the earthquake. More than 160 aftershocks have rocked the country, according to the Colombian Geological Survey.
“We’re pretty shaken up, but we’re in good spirits. We can see everyone working hard to get through this very complex situation,” volunteer helper Jairo Galán said in Cali, where food and donation centers were set up.
Colombia, with a population of 54 million people, experiences an average of 2,500 earthquakes each month, most of them small. That's equivalent to about 80 tremors per day, according to the geological survey.
More international aid arrives
Meanwhile, Colombia received more international aid from around the world.
A group of rescuers from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived Thursday to help with search efforts and structural engineering assessments. Other countries, including Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and Brazil, have also offered assistance.
De la Espriella announced on X that Colombia will receive a $10 million donation from the United Arab Emirates.
The Chinese ambassador to Colombia said China will provide $1 million in financial aid and more than $2 million in humanitarian assistance.
The South American Football Confederation and the Colombian Football Federation also jointly announced a $1 million donation to support reconstruction efforts.
“Soccer transcends the pitch and remains close to its people, especially in the most difficult times,” they said in a statement.
The Colombia disaster unfolded less than two months after neighboring Venezuela endured back-to-back earthquakes. The contrast between the two countries' responses was stark.
In Venezuela, acting President Delcy Rodríguez waited nearly four hours before addressing the nation. In Colombia, de la Espriella announced an emergency command post to oversee rescue efforts barely an hour after the earthquake. For weeks, Venezuelan civilians were clawing through rubble by hand. Hours after the earthquake in Colombia, rescue teams were searching for survivors with cranes and excavators.
The contrast was a reminder of the differences between the nations — their political systems, resources and the strength of their institutions — and a demonstration of how those can take on life-or-death importance.
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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia. Batschke reported from Santiago, Chile.
