Colombia earthquake toll rises to at least 132 as rescue searches intensify
Rescuers searched collapsed buildings in western Colombia on August 11 after the magnitude-7.4 earthquake’s toll rose to at least 132 dead and 570 injured, with more than 2,700 people reported missing.
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- Rescuers searched collapsed buildings in western Colombia on August 11 after the magnitude-7.4 earthquake’s toll rose to at least 132 dead and 570 injured, with more than 2,700 people reported missing.
Rescue teams in western Colombia continued searching through collapsed buildings on Tuesday, August 11, after the death toll from a powerful earthquake rose to at least 132.
The magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday, August 10, with its epicentre in Chocó department, according to information attributed to Colombian and US geological authorities. The shaking damaged buildings in major cities including Cali and Pereira and was also felt in neighbouring Venezuela.
At least 570 people had been reported injured by Monday afternoon, according to the Colombian Association of Capital Cities. Al Jazeera reported that more than 2,700 people were listed as missing as rescue operations intensified, although that figure may change as authorities locate residents and consolidate reports from affected communities.
Colombia’s government said emergency capabilities had been deployed to protect residents, assist affected areas and deliver aid, with rescuing people trapped beneath rubble the immediate priority.
The updated toll represents a sharp increase from earlier reports and could rise further as crews reach damaged communities. Officials and responders were continuing to assess the scale of destruction across the earthquake zone.
