COLOMBIA: The death toll from Monday’s devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake in western Colombia has climbed to at least 254, with officials warning that the number is expected to rise further as search and rescue operations enter their second day .
Rescue teams are working tirelessly across affected cities, including Cali and Pereira, sifting through the rubble of collapsed buildings in a desperate search for survivors. According to officials, about 100 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial quake, with some measuring up to 4.8 magnitude, complicating rescue efforts and prompting authorities to advise citizens to exercise caution and stay away from damaged structures .
The earthquake, the strongest to hit Colombia in a decade, struck at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department . The quake caused widespread destruction across approximately 16 departments, with Chocó, Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío, and Valle del Cauca among the hardest-hit areas .
