Rescue workers and volunteers are searching the rubble of the Torres del Limonar apartment building in Cali, Colombia, following an earthquake that the city's mayor, Alejandro Éder, says has killed at least 95 people in the city alone.
Search continues at collapsed Cali building after earthquake kills at least 95
Rescue workers and volunteers are searching the rubble of the Torres del Limonar apartment building in Cali, Colombia, following an earthquake that the city's mayor, Alejandro Éder, says has killed at least 95 people in the city alone.
Cali, described as Colombia's third most populous city with more than two million inhabitants, is reported to be among the areas hardest hit by the earthquake. The Torres del Limonar building has collapsed into a large mass of rubble, with mattresses, furniture, and personal belongings visible among the broken concrete.
Efraín Gallego is among those waiting at the site. His 80-year-old brother and the brother's wife were inside the building when it collapsed. Gallego said that each alert suggesting a survivor is detected renews hope that his brother will be found alive.
Rescue teams at the site periodically call for silence and instruct anyone who can hear them to shout or make noise, a procedure repeated each time workers dig to a depth where they believe a survivor may be close.
One rescuer, identified only as Velasco, told those present that he had previously participated in operations in which survivors were pulled out after seven days trapped in rubble.
Alongside professional rescuers, volunteers have gathered at the site. Alejandro Mahecha, 19, said he came after spending the night with his family and recovering from the initial shock of the earthquake. He said he was drawn to Torres del Limonar because of widespread reports about the scale of need there.
Gallego acknowledged the contribution of volunteers and members of the public who he said had brought water, supplies, tools, and equipment to assist the operation.
- The magnitude of the earthquake is not stated
- The date and exact time of the earthquake are not provided
- The total national death toll is not given, only Cali's figure
- The number of people still missing or trapped in the building is not specified
- Velasco's full name, role, and affiliation are not identified
- The number of rescuers or agencies involved is not stated
- Whether any survivors had been extracted from Torres del Limonar at the time of reporting is not established
- The cause or type of earthquake (fault line, depth, epicentre) is not described