Colombia Earthquake Toll Passes 281 as Hope Fades
The death toll from the earthquake in western Colombia has risen to at least 281, with reports it is climbing past 285 and hundreds still missing, as the search moves past the 72-hour survival window. More than 12,000 homes are reported destroyed. Rescuers are still digging through the rubble, but hope of finding more survivors is fading.
The magnitude-7.4 quake, which struck on Monday and devastated the city of Cali, is now the deadliest disaster to hit Colombia in decades, and the toll has climbed steadily as crews reached communities cut off by landslides. With the critical window for survival passed, the operation is shifting from rescue to recovery, and the hundreds still unaccounted for will shape how much higher the toll rises. The scale of the destruction — more than twelve thousand homes flattened — points to a reconstruction effort spanning years in an impoverished, mountainous region. President Abelardo de la Espriella, only weeks into office, faces a defining early test as international aid arrives. Watch for the final casualty count and the shape of the rebuilding.