A 32-year-old woman was pulled alive yesterday from the rubble of a collapsed building, while the search continues unabated for those missing after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday, the strongest recorded in the country in the last century. The authorities have meanwhile revised the death toll downwards, bringing it to 216 deaths after a correction of the data provided by the local authorities of Cali.
Daniela Largo was carried out of the rubble wrapped in a blue blanket, amidst the applause of the rescuers and the cries of joy from her family. “We were losing hope, then we received a phone call,” his mother, Sandra Milena Perez, told Pereira. A resident had heard calls for help coming from under the rubble and, together with neighbors, had started to remove the debris before the specialized teams arrived. «Thanks to him we are happy today. Her 12-year-old son is waiting for her at home,” added the mother.
Soldiers, firefighters and volunteers continue to search for survivors in collapsed buildings in Pereira and Cali, using cranes, search dogs and heavy machinery. In several places volunteers formed human chains to remove bricks and pieces of concrete by hand. Operations are periodically interrupted to allow rescuers to listen to any voices or noises coming from the rubble.
As night fell, many families prepared to sleep in parks, as aftershocks continued to affect badly damaged neighborhoods. In Pereira some public spaces have been transformed into improvised shelters with tents and mattresses.
The earthquake also put the healthcare system under great pressure. In Cali, part of the Hospital Universitario del Valle collapsed, forcing doctors to move patients to a parking lot and treat some outdoors. Thousands of Colombians mobilized, bringing water, food and other goods to the affected areas, while long queues formed in front of blood donation centres.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of emergency and, during a visit to Pereira, promised rent subsidies to affected families. The United States announced $15.5 million in emergency aid, while offers of assistance arrived from several countries. Meanwhile, rescue teams continue to dig in the hope of finding other people still alive under the rubble.