Colombia earthquake death toll rises above 200 as rescuers race to find survivors
The death toll from Monday's earthquake in Colombia has risen to more than 200 and is expected to increase as rescuers continue searching collapsed buildings
The death toll from Monday's earthquake in Colombia has risen to more than 200 and is expected to increase as rescuers continue searching collapsed buildings. Cali, one of the worst-hit areas, has seen volunteers and emergency teams work through the rubble in a desperate search for survivors. At a collapsed apartment building, rescuers have yet to find anyone alive, although volunteers say they heard a man's voice beneath the debris.
A doctor was rescued alive from another collapsed building, raising hopes among families still waiting for news of loved ones. At Cali's University Hospital, part of the building has collapsed, forcing patients to be evacuated as other medical facilities struggle to cope. Families are facing uncertainty over the whereabouts of victims, with one father searching for his teenage son after being told he had died.
Officials say 30 percent of Cali's large and medium-sized medical centres are inoperative, further straining the emergency response. Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman reports from Cali, Colombia. Angela Anzola De Toro is the president of Plan International, an independent development and humanitarian aid organization, in Colombia. She says the situation is dire and the first 72 hours will be very important in terms of saving lives.
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