Colombia vows to find all missing earthquake victims as rescue hopes fade

Colombia's disaster relief chief vowed to find all hundreds of people still missing after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake, as rescuers continued digging through rubble on Friday following the closure of the critical 72-hour survival window. The quake struck Monday, killing at least 281 people, injuring almost 4,000, and leaving 379 others missing, President Abelardo de la Espriella told reporters.

What is the current death toll from the Colombia earthquake?

At least 281 people were killed and nearly 4,000 injured after the 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, devastating the cities of Cali and Pereira. A further 379 people remain missing, and nearly 13,000 homes were destroyed across the coffee-growing region and along the Pacific coast. The earthquake is the strongest to hit Colombia this century.

David Tamayo, head of Colombia's disaster relief agency, acknowledged that the likelihood of finding survivors was diminishing but said rescue teams would not stop searching. "The order is to not rest until we find all the missing persons," he said in a video posted late Thursday. Colombia has declared three days of national mourning and an economic emergency in response to the scale of the disaster.

What is happening with rescue operations in Colombia?

The critical 72-hour window for finding survivors alive has now passed, and international rescue teams from the United States, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Israel were preparing to join the effort. Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said Colombia had refused entry to Mexican rescuers, citing a lack of correct certification. Colombia's government denied accusations that it was selectively blocking teams from countries with leftist leadership.

In Cali, many displaced families set up makeshift camps in streets and parks. Maria del Carmen Rodriguez, 72, lost the apartment she had saved for all her working life and is now sheltering on a soccer pitch with her husband. In Pereira, Javier Alzate, 79, was clearing rubble from his damaged home, saying he had worked 40 to 50 years for it only to lose it days after finally acquiring it.

How are Colombians responding to the earthquake?

Many Colombians mobilised to help affected communities, bringing water, food, and supplies to damaged neighbourhoods. Long queues formed outside blood donation centres across the country. Governor Dilian Francisca Toro of Valle del Cauca said authorities were conducting a census of damaged and destroyed homes, with residents telling officials they were ready to lead reconstruction themselves if provided with materials.

The impoverished Choco region on the Pacific coast also suffered significant damage, with some remote communities yet to be surveyed. De la Espriella vowed to do what was necessary for the country to recover, while volunteers in Bogota organised donation drives. A musician in Cali offered free hugs to those needing emotional support, saying the country was going through a collective trauma.