Colombia earthquake response enters grim phase as hope for more survivors fades– www.channelnewsasia.com
News Source
EXCERPT:
CALI, Colombia: Hopes of finding more survivors from the powerful earthquake that rocked Colombia early this week were fading on Thursday (Aug 13) as rescue workers narrowed their searches, while families in the worst-hit areas waited for news of missing relatives.
In Cali, the country’s third-largest city, crews have turned their attention from a search-and-rescue effort to debris removal at most sites, a sign the disaster response was entering a grimmer phase after the crucial first 72 hours.
The 7.4-magnitude quake struck shortly after 7:30am local time on Monday (8:30pm, Singapore time), toppling apartment blocks, damaging homes, schools and hospitals and sending residents into the streets across western Colombia, home to the country’s coffee farms.
At least 265 people were killed by the quake and around 500 others are still missing, authorities said on Wednesday afternoon.



