▲ Colombia Earthquake
In Cali, Colombia, which was struck by an earthquake, rescue volunteers raised their fists and shouted, "Quiet, please."
They were trying to catch even the faintest voice of a survivor trapped under the rubble.
The Washington Post (WP), AP, and AFP reported on the 10th (local time) on the desperate rescue efforts entering their second day, as a magnitude 7.4 earthquake caused buildings to collapse and cut off water and communication in major Colombian cities.
As the largest earthquake to hit Colombia in the 21st century brought down numerous buildings, efforts are continuing to find survivors buried under the rubble within the "golden time."
While heavy equipment such as cranes and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) equipped with thermal imaging capabilities were deployed to some areas, volunteers were also frequently seen using flashlights to illuminate the scene and moving rubble by hand.
Rescue workers continued their search operations amidst 30°C (86°F) heat, cutting through steel bars and scooping away debris with buckets.
Rescue operations are also continuing in Pereira, another heavily damaged city.
Residents and volunteers formed human chains around buildings, standing in silence and straining to catch any knocking or crying sounds coming from beneath the debris.
A CNN journalist who visited the area described the city as having an "eerie silence."
Jairo Vargas, who drove 220 kilometers to find his brother living in the area, stood in utter despair next to the rubble of his brother's apartment.
He opened up, saying, "My brother must be here. The debris around might be soft enough to protect him. But there is no sound at all. There is almost no hope."
Resident Juan David Gaitan said, "The electricity is cut off," adding, "(Pereira) has turned into a zombie city."
Amidst such grim conditions, miraculous rescues also took place.
The Bogota Fire Department posted a rescue video on X (formerly Twitter) that day, announcing, "The rescue operation for a 35-year-old man was successful at 3:57 a.m.," and released footage of eight firefighters working together to pull a survivor from a pile of rubble.
The Daily Mail also reported related photos, stating that a 6-month-old baby and its mother were rescued from beneath building debris.
According to the Associated Press, the number of people missing due to the earthquake has exceeded 3,000 so far, and the death toll has reached 254.
President Abelardo de la Espriella visited Pereira that day and promised, "My heart breaks seeing the destroyed shops in the downtown area," while pledging three months of economic support.
However, it was confirmed that there are still areas that have not even received relief supplies.
Choco Province on the western coast, which is closest to the epicenter of the earthquake, remains difficult to access, causing disruptions in both relief supplies and rescue support operations.
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