CALI — Rescue workers pulled a baby alive from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Cali on Tuesday, as crews and volunteers searched for survivors after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 181 people and injuring more than 1,500, according to government figures.
The baby was found after rescuers heard indications that people were trapped beneath the debris. Several residents and emergency workers helped remove rubble by hand before the child was located and handed to first responders, according to accounts carried by CNN and other media.
Andres Felipe Mejia, a volunteer involved in the search, told AFP that rescuers asked anyone trapped to whistle and heard a response. A man and the baby were subsequently brought out alive, he said, while the man's wife remained trapped in the building.
The rescue came as emergency teams raced against time to locate people believed to be buried beneath collapsed structures across the country's western region. The earthquake struck shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, with the epicenter near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province, according to reports citing Colombian authorities.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said the earthquake had killed at least 181 people and injured 1,595. He said 195 people were officially reported missing, while civilian-run databases indicated that the number could be substantially higher. More than 1,100 homes were destroyed and more than 8,300 damaged, according to the president.
Rescue operations were underway in Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, among the areas reporting major destruction. Authorities deployed military and police personnel, rescue specialists and search dogs, while residents joined professional teams in clearing debris manually.
The Colombian Geological Service reported more than 100 aftershocks following the main earthquake, adding to the risks faced by rescue crews working around damaged structures.
Authorities said the first 48 to 72 hours after a major earthquake are especially important for finding survivors, although people can remain alive longer when they have access to water and food. Search teams continued clearing collapsed buildings and checking for signs of life as the government worked to assess the full extent of the disaster.
