Colombia Earthquake Toll Passes 200 as Thousands Go Missing
The death toll from the earthquake that devastated western Colombia has climbed throughout the day, with officials now reporting at least 224 people killed and more than 2,700 still missing as rescuers dig through the rubble. The magnitude-7.4 quake, centred on San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, wrecked towns and cities including Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó. The government has declared a state of emergency.
The toll has risen relentlessly since Monday, from about a hundred in the morning to more than two hundred by Tuesday evening, and officials warn it will climb further as crews reach remote mountain communities cut off by landslides. More than 2,700 people are unaccounted for, and thousands have been left homeless. President Abelardo de la Espriella, only weeks into office, is confronting the deadliest disaster to strike Colombia in years, and his government is reported to be weighing an economic emergency to fund the relief effort. Aftershocks continue to hamper the search. It is among the strongest quakes to hit the country in over a decade. Watch for the confirmed casualty figures as rescuers reach the epicentre.