Rescuers scrambled Tuesday across affected areas after an earthquake in Colombia that has so far been reported to have killed 180 people. A series of aftershocks on Tuesday complicated search efforts, with teams working to free people trapped in collapsed buildings and piles of rubble. Officials described the death toll as provisional as recovery operations continue.
Local rescue teams and emergency personnel used heavy equipment and hand tools to reach survivors in damaged structures, prioritising areas where people remained unaccounted for. Crews have been conducting coordinated searches in urban neighbourhoods and smaller towns alike, focusing on sites where buildings suffered partial or total collapse.
Reports from the field indicate widespread damage to homes and commercial buildings, with streets and public spaces littered with debris. Medical facilities in the region have been treating the injured and mobilising staff to manage casualty influxes, while authorities have been organising temporary shelters for displaced residents. Utilities and transport have been affected in several localities, further complicating logistics for relief operations.
Authorities have called for caution as teams work amid unstable structures and persistent tremors. National coordination bodies and local officials are maintaining searches and assessments of building safety, while monitoring by seismological agencies continues to track aftershock activity. The government and emergency services said casualty figures and damage assessments remain subject to revision as rescue and recovery efforts progress.
