[Anchor]
At the earthquake disaster site, even local residents have stepped up with their bare hands in a desperate search to find survivors. With the number of missing people estimated to have exceeded 2,000, authorities are also facing difficulties in grasping the exact scale of the damage due to widespread disruptions in communications and blocked roads.
Reporter Yu Deok-gi has the details.
[Reporter]
"Elda! Elda!"
People desperately call out the names of family members who failed to escape in time.
Firefighters search through the collapsed debris.
[Fire Rescue Worker: Hello! If you can hear my voice, please scream!]
[Resident: I heard a faint sound.]
With over 5,000 buildings collapsed or damaged, frantic rescue operations entered a second day in major earthquake-hit areas such as Pereira and Cali.
[Fire Rescue Worker: There is no one here, neither dead nor alive!]
Residents are struggling to clear piles of debris with their bare hands in a fierce battle to find missing people trapped underneath.
[Lady Alvarez / Resident (Assisting in Rescue Operations): Someday, one of the people trapped inside could be a relative. When situations like this are happening, how can anyone remain indifferent?]
In Cali, a 6-month-old baby trapped inside a collapsed five-story building was miraculously rescued along with her mother.
However, rescue operations remain sluggish due to a shortage of manpower and equipment, and the number of missing persons reported to a private database has surpassed 2,700.
[Andres Burbano / Family of Missing Person: As you can see, the apartment where I lived was completely destroyed, and my wife was inside. Our family has no idea whether she is alive or dead.]
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office three days before the earthquake, declared a state of national emergency and deployed military forces to aid in search and rescue operations.
[Abelardo de la Espriella / President of Colombia: With God's help and the efforts of the new government, we will surely overcome this disaster that has plunged Colombia into grief.]
Choco Department, where the earthquake struck, features extensive jungle and mountainous terrain. Due to the earthquake, communications have been cut off and roads are blocked in various places.
Consequently, it is expected to take time to ascertain the exact scale of casualties, including the dead and missing.
(Video Editing: Chae Chul-ho, Design: Seo Seung-hyun)
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