Search for survivors of Colombia earthquake enters "final phase — CBS News — Top

RESOLVING THE LEDGER

Rescuers in Colombia were making last-ditch efforts to locate earthquake survivors early Thursday as the critical 72-hour window for rescue operations neared its end. The magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, has killed 265 people, injured almost 3,500 and left almost 500 missing, according to Colombia\u0027s new president Abelardo de la Espriella. Civilian-run databases put the number of missing at more than 4,100. Nearlly 26,000 families were affected, de la Espriella said. "Our efforts are focused on the disappeared," he told journalists in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia\u0027s capital.In cities such as Cali and Pereira, emergency crews worked through a third night with their bare hands, cranes and sniffer dogs, stopping not to rest but to listen for signs of life. Thursday morning marked 72 hours since the quake, a period when survivors are considered most likely to be found alive beneath collapsed buildings. Cali resident Martha Perez said she felt "helpless" as two relatives were thought to still be trapped under rubble. "We will hold on to (hope) until the very end," Perez told AFP on Wednesday night. " All of us here \u2014 the entire city of Cali \u2014 are hoping to find more survivors," volunteer rescuer Fernando Loaiza said. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said Wednesday that rescue efforts were "entering the final phase." De la Espriella has declared the disaster an "economic emergency" and announced three days of national mourning. "We will do what is necessary," he said in a statement, vowing to "emerge again as a country and as a society." More than 11,000 dwellings have been destroyed and thousands of families have been rendered homeless, according to official figures."A state of shock" \u00a0In Pereira, crews focused on a collapsed bakery where they believe a street vendor trapped since Monday\u0027s earthquake may still be alive beneath the rubble. Rescuers using equipment that detects vibrations said they had picked up possible signs of life from Pablo Loaiza, prompting anxious relatives to gather near the wreckage. "They tell us it could be him," said his 16-year-old niece, Sara Loaiza. "My heart is about to burst out of my chest." Relatives said the trapped man appeared to respond when rescuers asked him to knock twice, then three times from beneath the rubble, drawing applause from those gathered at the scene. "Every half hour we make everyone be quiet to see if we can find people alive," volunteer rescuer Johana Sanchez told AFP. "So far, three people have been pulled out alive and three dead." Many have already spent consecutive nights outdoors, either because their homes were damaged or because they feared aftershocks.In the town of Roldanillo, Yuliana Mendez picked through the wreckage of the beauty products store where she worked, one of many businesses damaged in the disaster. "It\u0027s like starting over from scratch," she said. In Pereira\u0027s Providencia neighborhood, residents hauled furniture and household items from damaged buildings. Among them was lawyer Ana Paulina Crosthwaite, whose apartment block was left unsafe by the quake. "We\u0027re in a state of shock," she told AFP. "We\u0027re not prepared to tell our children that we have to pack whatever we can and start a new life." Many Colombians have mobilized to help, bringing water, food and supplies to affected neighborhoods, while long lines formed outside blood donation centers. "It\u0027s about wanting to help your community, your city and your country," said blood donor Ferney Cabrera. The United States announced $15.5 million in emergency aid to Colombia and the European Union pledged 2 million euros ($2.3 million).

Search for survivors of Colombia earthquake enters "final phase — CBS News — Top | AIPROPX