Colombia is assessing the devastating impact of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country's western region. The death toll has risen to 281, with hundreds still missing and thousands injured. Nearly 45,000 families have reportedly been affected, while rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings and remote areas for survivors. International assistance is also arriving as authorities work to provide food, medical aid and other essential supplies.

Colombia 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake: Death Toll Hits 281 | 379 Still Missing as Rescue Ops Intensify

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has struck western Colombia, triggering a massive rescue operation as emergency teams race to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

Nearly 250 people have reportedly been killed, while thousands remain missing or unaccounted for in some of the hardest-hit areas. Rescue teams in Pereira, Cali and other affected regions are working around the clock using sniffer dogs, heavy machinery, cameras, radar and seismic sensors.

In one dramatic rescue, crews pulled a 32-year-old woman alive from the rubble of a collapsed building in Pereira, prompting cheers and applause from exhausted rescuers and volunteers.

The earthquake has caused widespread destruction, with more than 1,600 buildings reportedly damaged or collapsed. Hospitals, airports and major highways have also been affected, while aftershocks have forced many survivors to sleep outdoors in makeshift shelters.

Colombia Earthquake: Rescue Teams Race to Find Survivors as Death Toll Nears 250

Nearly a month after devastating twin earthquakes struck Venezuela's central coast, survivors continue to face immense hardship. The powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes claimed over 5,000 lives, displaced nearly 18,000 people, and caused an estimated $19.6 billion in damages, according to the World Bank. Families are still searching for missing loved ones while hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure remain heavily damaged. Mental health experts have also raised alarms over rising trauma, depression, and suicide risks among survivors struggling to rebuild their lives.

Venezuela Earthquake disaster deepens | Thousands homeless, trauma crisis grows | Venezuela crisis