CALI, Colombia (AP) 鈥� With arms raised and fists clenched, rescuers called for silence Thursday as they listened for signs of life in the rubble of a deadly earthquake and raced to pull more survivors from the debris before time runs out.
The call for quiet was part of last-ditch efforts to find anyone else alive in the aftermath of the 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the South American country Monday, killing more than 280 people and leaving hundreds more missing.
鈥淯nfortunately, we are reaching a point where the probability of finding survivors is dwindling,鈥� said David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, in a press conference Thursday night. 鈥淏ut the mission is to never stop searching and find all those reported missing.鈥�
Aid agencies consider the first two to three days after a quake to be for retrieving survivors. People trapped in debris can live longer if they have access to food and water.
The death toll rose Thursday to 281, authorities said, with another 348 people rescued.
As time runs out, rescuers, families and volunteers across the country continue to hold on to hope.
鈥淭here might be two more people alive here, and I鈥檓 hopeful,鈥� rescuer Daiana Rojas told The Associated Press. 鈥淲e have been hearing sounds since 2:30 a.m., so our hope remains.鈥�
Rojas and her family were unharmed by the quake, the most powerful to hit Colombia in this century. She has been volunteering to help search for survivors in Cali, one of the most heavily damaged cities, along with Pereira, Manizales and Quibd贸.
鈥淚 thought that was going to be my last moment alive,鈥� she said, recalling the terror of the quake. 鈥淪eeing this situation in my city breaks my heart.鈥�
Rojas has witnessed two people being pulled alive from the debris, as well as the recovery of bodies.
鈥淭hey are not a relative or a friend of mine, but it feels as they were,鈥� she said of the survivors who have been found. 鈥淲henever rescuers ask for silence, everyone stays still and tries not to move, speak or whisper. But when signs of life are found, all the teams start to applaud.鈥�
Critical hours
The Colombia鈥檚 new President and his government as they scramble to respond while aid groups seek to help the hardest-hit communities.
鈥淭he situation is complex, but we are using all our capacity and the capacity that has come from other countries,鈥� de la Espriella said.
The president added nearly 400 people remain missing, though civilian-run databases put the number at more than 4,200. More than 3,900 people were reported injured, while nearly 10,600 homes were destroyed and more than 65,800 damaged. In total, more than 44,900 families have been affected, he said.
Authorities recognize that the rescue effort has entered a grim phase as search teams begin shifting toward recovering bodies. But as the government moves forward with plans to help those affected and rebuild the country, finding potential survivors remains a priority. 鈥淥ur priority is saving lives,鈥� de la Espriella said. 鈥淭hese are human beings who are trapped under the rubble.鈥�
In other developments, a 4.2 magnitude aftershock struck Thursday in San Jos茅 del Palmar, in the Choc贸 region 鈥� the epicenter of the earthquake. More than 160 aftershocks have rocked the country, according to the Colombian Geological Survey.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty shaken up, but we鈥檙e in good spirits. We can see everyone working hard to get through this very complex situation,鈥� volunteer helper Jairo Gal谩n said in Cali, where food and donation centers were set up.
Colombia, with a population of 54 million people, experiences an average of 2,500 earthquakes each month, most of them small. That’s equivalent to about 80 tremors per day, according to the geological survey.
More international aid arrives
Meanwhile, international aid continues to arrive.
Speaking to reporters in Quibd贸, in the Choc贸 region, Colombian Vice President Jos茅 Manuel Restrepo said rescuers had concluded the search for survivors and bodies in the area and would now shift their focus to the 鈥渉umanitarian phase.鈥�
The region has received some 7 tons of humanitarian aid, with another 10 tons expected to arrive late Thursday night. An additional 20 tons of supplies are expected to arrive on Friday. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 almost 40 tons of humanitarian aid, containing everything people will need at this moment,鈥� Restrepo said.
Earlier today, a group of rescuers from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived to help with search efforts and structural engineering assessments. Other countries, including Peru, El Salvador, Mexico and Brazil, have also offered assistance.
De la Espriella announced on X that Colombia will receive a $10 million donation from the United Arab Emirates.
The Chinese ambassador to Colombia said China will provide $1 million in financial aid and more than $2 million in humanitarian assistance.
The South American Football Confederation and the Colombian Football Federation also jointly announced a $1 million donation to support reconstruction efforts.
鈥淪occer transcends the pitch and remains close to its people, especially in the most difficult times,鈥� they said in a statement.
The Colombia disaster unfolded less than two months after neighboring The was stark.
In Venezuela, waited nearly four hours before addressing the nation. In Colombia, de la Espriella announced an emergency command post to oversee rescue efforts barely an hour after the earthquake. For weeks, Venezuelan through rubble by hand. Hours after the earthquake in Colombia, rescue teams were searching for survivors with cranes and excavators.
The contrast was a reminder of the differences between the nations 鈥� their political systems, resources and the strength of their institutions 鈥� and a demonstration of how those can take on life-or-death importance.
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Suarez reported from Bogota, Colombia. Batschke reported from Santiago, Chile.
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