Rescuers race against time to find survivors after Colombia earthquake

Key Points:

• A 7.4 magnitude earthquake in western Colombia has killed at least 181 people, injured 2,595, and left hundreds to thousands missing, with rescue efforts ongoing in cities like Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdo.
• Rescue teams continue to search for survivors amid rubble, with critical survival windows of 48 to 72 hours, highlighted by recent successful rescues such as that of Daniela Largo in Pereira.
• Thousands of displaced residents have taken shelter in converted public spaces and parks due to damaged homes and fear of aftershocks, with aid agencies providing essential resources like food, water, and medical care.
• The disaster compounds existing humanitarian challenges in Colombia, including poverty and ongoing conflict, but the presence of aid organizations already on the ground has facilitated a rapid disaster response.
• International aid is flowing in, with the U.S. offering over $15 million, Mexico preparing to send search and health teams, and El Salvador dispatching two planes with 100 tons of aid to support relief efforts.