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Colombia earthquake: Rescue operation enters 'final phase'

Latest update from DW World: Rescuers are racing against a critical 72-hour window to find survivors after a magnitude 7. Rescuers are racing against a critical 72-hour window to find survivors after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that has killed 265 people, left hundreds missing, and displaced tens of thousands across western Colombia. Rescuers worked through a third straight night with time ticking towards the 72-hour mark since a powerful earthquake hit Colombia. That's the period aid agencies consider most critical for finding survivors alive, though it can stretch longer if trapped people have access to food and water. "We're entering the final phase," Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said, adding that survivors could still be found afterward but that the odds grow steadily worse. He said crews were still detecting signs of life beneath the rubble and urged speed: "Every minute is vital." The death toll from the quake has climbed to 265, President Abelardo de la Espriella said Wednesday. More than 25,800 families have been affected in total, he said.

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Scoop News DeskColombia · Published Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 7:45 AM UTCUpdated Friday, August 14, 2026 at 6:18 AM UTC

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And UN resident coordinator María Jose Torres said in a statement Tuesday that aid groups already working in the region on an earlier peace effort were able to pivot quickly to disaster relief. In Cali, volunteer rescuer Johana Sanchez described teams pausing every 30 minutes to listen for survivors. "So far, three people have been pulled out alive and three dead," she told AFP. We know she's going to get better." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Thousands have been left homeless, with many sleeping outdoors in parks or emergency shelters set up in schools and sports arenas, either because their homes were destroyed or out of fear of aftershocks.

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Version 2updated
Thursday, August 13, 2026 at 8:51 AM UTC
Latest update from DW World: Rescuers are racing against a critical 72-hour window to find survivors after a magnitude 7. Rescuers are racing against a critical 72-hour window to find survivors after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that has killed 265 people, left hundreds missing, and displaced tens of thousands across western Colombia. Rescuers worked through a third straight night with time ticking towards the 72-hour mark since a powerful earthquake hit Colombia. That's the period aid agencies consider most critical for finding survivors alive, though it can stretch longer if trapped people have access to food and water. "We're entering the final phase," Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said, adding that survivors could still be found afterward but that the odds grow steadily worse. He said crews were still detecting signs of life beneath the rubble and urged speed: "Every minute is vital." The death toll from the quake has climbed to 265, President Abelardo de la Espriella said Wednesday. More than 25,800 families have been affected in total, he said.
Version 3unpublished
Friday, August 14, 2026 at 6:18 AM UTC
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