Colombia earthquake: Hospitals under pressure as rescuers search for survivors

Rescue teams are continuing to search for survivors after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing more than 250 people according to the latest local estimates and causing widespread damage to homes, hospitals and infrastructure.

The earthquake struck on Monday and affected several cities, including Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó. More than 5,000 homes have been damaged, while disruption to electricity, water supplies and communications has complicated the emergency response in some areas. Nearly 100 aftershocks have also been recorded.

Healthcare services are under significant pressure as casualties continue to be treated. A hospital in Buenaventura has been described as overwhelmed, while hospitals elsewhere have sustained damage. In Cali, structural damage has forced some emergency care to be provided outside.

Search and rescue operations remain under way, with teams using machinery and digging through rubble by hand. A woman was rescued alive in Cali around 30 hours after the earthquake, according to reports on Tuesday, as emergency workers continued efforts to locate people still missing.

The scale of the disaster remains difficult to establish in some of the worst affected areas. Parts of the Chocó region are remote and difficult to access, while damaged communications have made gathering information more challenging.

Colombia’s government has mobilised military and rescue operations and international assistance has also been pledged. The United Nations is increasing its presence in affected areas, while the United States and Inter-American Development Bank have pledged financial support for emergency and reconstruction efforts.

Immediate humanitarian priorities include shelter for people displaced from their homes, access to safe drinking water, food and medical supplies.

With rescue operations continuing and thousands of people reported missing, authorities have warned that the full scale of the disaster is still emerging.

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