Colombia earthquake rescue operations continue with more than 224 dead

LONDON -- Active rescue operations continued in western Colombia through into Wednesday morning following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake that authorities in Bogota said killed more than 224 people.

Some of the hardest-hit regions include the cities of Pereira in the Choco region and Cali in the Valle del Cauca area.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said in a social media post on Tuesday that the city -- which has a population of more than 2.2 million people -- recorded at least 95 people killed in the quake.

On Tuesday afternoon, rescue efforts continued in the south of the city close to the Clinica Colombia health center -- a residential area of the city. Hundreds of rescue workers and volunteers were digging through the rubble of a collapsed department building where people were feared buried.

Eder said in a post to social media on Tuesday night, "Every minute counts in this race to save lives. Today we rescued four people alive and continue working with all our capabilities to find more citizens."

Among those involved in the rescue were soldiers of the Colombian army's Third Brigade. Troops deployed "a canine team, a thermal-capable drone and specialized equipment" in the Cali area, the unit said in a post to X.

Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, meanwhile, released a video of ongoing rescue operations in the Choco region. "In a race against the clock, supported by canines, physical and technological search, these men and women are searching for people alive," the unit said in a post to X.

The earthquake's epicenter was about 3 miles east of San José del Palmar, Colombia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The country's President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and his government appealed for humanitarian aid.

Celebrating the rescue of a woman trapped under rubble on Tuesday, De la Espriella said in a post to X, "We trust in God and in the tireless work of our rescue teams so that more Colombians may be found alive and can return to the arms of their families."

The earthquake was the strongest recorded in the country in a decade, according to the Colombian Geological Survey. It was widely felt throughout Colombia and in neighboring countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama, it said.

Authorities also reported power, cell phone and internet outages in the aftermath of the earthquake.