Colombia earthquake: Body pulled from Pereira rubble as rescue race intensifies

Rescue teams in Pereira recovered a body from the debris of a collapsed building on Wednesday, two days after a powerful earthquake devastated western Colombia. The grim discovery came as search efforts intensified across the region, with crews working through the night in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdo.

The 7.4 magnitude quake has killed at least 181 people and injured 2,595 others, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. Officials say 195 people remain missing, though civilian-run databases suggest the true figure could be far higher, with more than 4,000 unaccounted for as of Wednesday morning.

In Pereira, locals joined formal search teams in sifting through rubble, with some raising their hands to signal for silence as they listened for signs of life. Heavy machinery was deployed to clear debris from the collapsed structure.

The disaster has put significant strain on the new government, which is scrambling to coordinate a response while civil society groups push to deliver aid to the most vulnerable communities. Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours critical for finding survivors, though that window can extend if trapped victims have access to food and water.