Colombia earthquake rescue efforts enter 'final phase' as death toll rises

Cover image: Rescue workers carry survivor Daniela Largo after pulling her from the rubble the day after an earthquake struck Pereira, Colombia, on August 11, 2026. © Fernando Vergara, AP

Rescuers in Colombia faced a race against time Wednesday as they searched collapsed buildings for survivors after the country's strongest earthquake this century. Monday's magnitude 7.4 quake killed at least 265 people and injured more than 3,500, with nearly 500 still missing.

Colombia's earthquake rescue efforts entered what officials called the "final phase" on Wednesday, as rescuers searched for signs of life beneath collapsed buildings before the critical first 72 hours came to an end.