Colombia quake toll reaches 265 as search nears end

Rescue crews in Colombia say they are moving into the final stage of search operations after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country’s western region on Monday.

Authorities confirmed by Thursday that 265 people had died and more than 3,500 were injured. Nearly 500 people were still listed as missing across the affected areas, officials said.

Search crews push beyond the 72-hour window

Emergency teams in Pereira and Cali continued to Emergency teams in Pereira and Cali continued to comb through collapsed structures as the operation moved past the critical 72-hour period that is typically linked to the best chance of finding survivors. Officials said Pereira had recorded 83 deaths and Cali 74. Crews in both cities have been deploying vibration sensors and canine units to detect signs of life under rubble. As the search widens, responders are also balancing the urgency of locating survivors with the challenges of unstable debris and damaged infrastructure in parts of the disaster zone.

Homes destroyed as authorities expand relief operations

President Abelardo The earthquake caused extensive structural destruction, including the loss of about 9,550 homes, authorities said. Thousands of residents have been displaced and are now staying in temporary shelters. National supply efforts are underway in Bogota to gather and distribute food, water, and medical supplies for communities in the hardest-hit areas, officials said. Government declares economic emergency and mourning period President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national economic emergency and ordered three days of mourning as the government seeks to speed up disaster response and support affected families.

Officials described the quake as the strongest recorded in Colombia this century, underscoring the scale of the emergency now facing local authorities, health services, and humanitarian responders.

With hundreds still unaccounted for, the confirmed casualty numbers may change as search teams complete checks in damaged neighborhoods and as authorities update missing-person reports.