A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, with the official death toll rising to at least 250. Rescue workers worked through the night searching for survivors in collapsed buildings and rubble, racing against time during the critical rescue window. Authorities warned that the death toll could continue to rise as search and clearance operations continue.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs initially estimated that around 5,000 homes were damaged, with dozens of buildings collapsing and hundreds of other homes sustaining varying degrees of damage, highlighting the severe impact on infrastructure and residential areas.
Rescue operations remain focused on the worst-hit areas, where emergency workers are using heavy machinery and manually clearing rubble in an effort to find survivors who may still be trapped inside buildings. As the extent of the damage in some areas remains under assessment, the full number of casualties and the scale of property losses have yet to be determined.
The international community has also begun providing emergency assistance. The United States announced US$15.5 million in aid to provide temporary shelters and food in affected areas, as well as support damage assessment efforts. The Inter-American Development Bank said it had prepared US$50 million in funding that could be made available for post-earthquake reconstruction if needed.
The local government is currently prioritising search and rescue operations, medical care and temporary accommodation. As further assessments are carried out in affected areas, authorities will gradually determine the overall extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake.