Colombia searches for over 3,000 missing after 7.4 magnitude earthquake kills at least 111

Search and rescue efforts resumed Tuesday across western Colombia after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake Monday left more than 3,000 people missing, many trapped beneath collapsed buildings and rubble.

Local officials report at least 179 deaths across the four hardest-hit areas—Cali, Pereira, Chocó, and Manizales—though the federal government, which last updated its count Monday, has reported at least 111 deaths. Approximately 1,600 buildings have been damaged or collapsed. Soldiers, rescue personnel, and families worked through rubble, passing large concrete pieces by hand along lines of volunteers.

Chocó, the region surrounding the quake's epicenter near San José del Palmar, is one of Colombia's poorest and most neglected regions, frequently beset by warring armed groups. Much of Chocó is accessible only by boat, through jungle, or by airplane—making damage assessment difficult. Little was known Tuesday about the extent of destruction there.

President Abelardo De la Espriella, sworn in Friday, traveled to Chocó's capital, Quibdó, on Monday night and announced he had mobilized "the entire military and police apparatus" to respond, deploying engineers, rescue workers, and search dogs. "Chocó will never again be the 'land of the forgotten,'" he said. The earthquake marks the first major test for De la Espriella, a divisive figure known for his pledge of an all-out crackdown on criminal groups in the Andean nation.

Families have posted information about missing loved ones on citizen-run websites. Dana Carolina Zamora posted an image of her missing 60-year-old uncle, Miguel Ángel Zamora, cradling his dog. The farmer was living in a rural area of El Cairo, not far from the quake's epicenter. "We are afraid. We hope that is not the case, that he is all right and that it is only a communication failure. But we haven't heard anything from him," Zamora said.

Local authorities said 80 percent of El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 people, was damaged. Pereira's municipal government reported at least 58 buildings collapsed; Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 40 buildings had collapsed in that city. Both cities enforced curfews Monday night to prevent looting. Pereira also banned privately owned vehicles from circulating to clear roads for ambulances, police, and rescue workers.

The U.S. State Department announced it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food, and other aid. Governments across Latin America have also lined up to offer assistance.