"Quiet!"

Rescue volunteers in earthquake-hit Cali, Colombia, raised their fists and shouted.

It was to catch even the faint voice of a survivor trapped beneath the rubble.

The Washington Post (WP), AP, and AFP reported on the desperate rescue operations entering their second day, following a magnitude 7.4 strong earthquake that struck on the 10th (local time), collapsing buildings and cutting off water and communications in major Colombian cities.

As the largest earthquake to hit Colombia in the 21st century caused widespread building collapses, efforts continued to find survivors buried under the rubble within the "golden time."

While heavy equipment such as cranes and drones equipped with thermal imaging capabilities were mobilized in some areas, volunteers were also frequently seen using flashlights and moving rubble by hand.

Rescue teams continued their search operations despite the 30°C (86°F) heat, cutting through steel bars and scooping out debris with buckets.

Rescue operations were also underway in another affected city, Pereira.

Residents and volunteers formed human chains around buildings, standing quietly and listening closely to catch any knocking or crying sounds coming from beneath the debris.

A CNN journalist who visited the scene described the city as "eerily quiet."

Jairo Vargas, who drove 220 kilometers to find his brothers living in the area, stood in utter despair next to the rubble of his younger brother's apartment.

He confessed, "My brother is definitely here. The rubble around might be soft and protecting 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 become like a zombie city."

Amidst such grim conditions, miraculous rescues also took place.

The Bogotá Fire Department posted a rescue video on X (formerly Twitter) that day, stating, "The rescue operation for a 35-year-old man was successful at 3:57 a.m.," revealing footage of eight crew members working together to pull a survivor from the pile of debris.

The Daily Mail also reported on related photos, stating that a 6-month-old baby and its mother were rescued from beneath building ruins.

According to the Associated Press, the number of people missing from 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 broke seeing the destroyed shops in the city," pledging economic support for three months.

However, it was confirmed that some areas have yet to receive even relief supplies.

Chocó Department on the western coast, which is closest to the epicenter of this earthquake, is difficult to access, causing disruptions in both relief supplies and rescue support operations.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)