Colombia quake rescuers race against time as hopes fade for missing
Rescuers in Colombia are desperately listening for survivors under rubble after a deadly 7.4-magnitude quake killed at least 265 people, with hundreds still missing.
Rescue workers in Colombia raised their arms and called for absolute silence on Thursday, straining to hear any sign of life beneath the debris of a powerful earthquake that has claimed at least 265 lives and left hundreds unaccounted for.
The desperate plea for quiet came as the crucial 48-to-72-hour window for finding survivors began to close. Aid agencies say this period is critical, though hope can persist longer if trapped individuals have access to air, food, or water.
In Cali, one of the hardest-hit cities alongside Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó, volunteer rescuer Daiana Rojas, 25, said her team has been picking up faint sounds since the early hours of Thursday. "There might be two more people alive here, and I'm hopeful," she said. "We have been hearing sounds since 2:30 a.m., so our hope remains."
Rojas, whose own family was unharmed, described the terror of experiencing the strongest quake to hit Colombia this century. "I thought that was going to be my last moment alive," she recalled. "Seeing this situation in my city breaks my heart."
Cali's mayor, Alejandro Eder, told reporters on Wednesday that teams were still detecting signs of life and racing to reach anyone within reach. "The next 20 hours are the most critical to find and rescue people alive," he said.
The disaster has become a major test for President Abelardo de la Espriella's new administration. The government has reported nearly 500 people missing, though civilian databases suggest the figure could be far higher, exceeding 4,200. More than 25,800 families have been affected, according to the president.
Rojas has witnessed both miracles and tragedy, seeing two people pulled out alive and also helping recover bodies. The emotional toll is heavy, even for strangers. "They are not a relative or a friend of mine, but it feels as they were," she said of the survivors.
She described the tense ritual of the search: when rescuers call for silence, everyone freezes, avoiding even a whisper. But the mood shifts instantly when life is found. "When signs of life are found, all the teams start to applaud."