Rescue teams in western Colombia shifted from search-and-recovery to body recovery on Saturday as the death toll from last Monday’s devastating earthquake climbed to at least 294, with 320 people still missing and nearly 4,000 injured.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck just after 7:30 a.m. on August 10 near San Jose del Palmar in the Choco department, toppling apartment buildings, schools, churches, and hospitals across a vast area stretching from the Pacific port of Buenaventura through Colombia’s coffee-growing region to the major cities of Cali and Pereira. Over two-thirds of the deaths were concentrated in those two cities.
Rescue Operations Wind Down
We have only one site where there are signs of life, Cali fire captain Alberto Hernandez told Reuters. At the other locations, we are unfortunately in the phase of recovering bodies. Hernandez said crews expected to finish recovering bodies by Sunday, after which heavy equipment would begin clearing the massive piles of shattered concrete, bricks, and metal that still blanket entire neighborhoods.
The disaster has produced 269 aftershocks since the initial quake, compounding dangers for rescue workers and volunteers sifting through unstable rubble. Thousands of homes were destroyed, leaving hundreds of displaced residents sleeping outdoors in makeshift shelters in parks, where coordinators reported severe shortages of blankets, tents, hygiene products, and food.
Several deaths that captured national attention underscored the fading hope for survivors. Daniela Largo, 32, died in hospital after enduring 36 hours trapped under rubble. Juan Felipe Giraldo, 24, was pulled dead from a collapsed hotel, having been scheduled to marry the following day. He leaves behind a two-year-old son.
Tariff Relief Request to Washington
The catastrophe became the first major test for President Abelardo De La Espriella, a political newcomer who took office just one week before the earthquake. On Saturday, De La Espriella said he spoke with President Donald Trump in a ten-minute phone call during which Trump expressed condolences and the Colombian leader requested a temporary suspension of U.S. tariffs on Colombian goods to aid struggling business owners.
The U.S. Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Colombias Finance Minister Miguel Gomez said the government was not yet considering raising taxes to fund the estimated $6.4 billion needed for reconstruction.
The World Bank has pledged $200 million in relief funding, while the United States committed $15.5 million and the United Arab Emirates pledged $10 million. Israels Alliance of Brothers rescue delegation is operating in Cali. De La Espriellas right-wing government, which campaigned on tighter security and fiscal austerity, has pursued a rapprochement with Washington that includes discussions of joint strikes against armed groups operating in the country.
Sources: Reuters; Al Jazeera; Bloomberg; The Economic Times; Colombias National Unit for Disaster Risk Management
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