Photos: Hope fades in Colombia as teams dig for earthquake survivors

What the report says

Colombian rescue teams are continuing a large-scale search effort after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country on Monday, with operations stretching into a fourth day in the west. Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that authorities say at least 265 people have died, more than 3,500 have been injured, and close to 500 people are still unaccounted for. The quake is described in the report as the strongest to hit Colombia this century.

The search has focused on damaged areas in cities including Pereira and Cali. In Pereira, crews were working at the site of a collapsed bakery where they believe street vendor Pablo Loaiza may still be trapped. Rescue teams have used vibration sensors, sniffer dogs, cranes and hand tools while trying to listen for signs of life beneath unstable rubble. Relatives and neighbors have been waiting nearby, while volunteers have organized food, water and blood donations.

The article also notes wider disruption across the region. Officials said more than 9,550 homes have been destroyed, and thousands of people are sleeping outdoors or in temporary shelters after evacuations. Patients from damaged clinics have been moved to makeshift facilities. Officials reported deaths in Pereira and Cali, the two hardest-hit cities named in the piece.

President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared an economic emergency and three days of national mourning. The report says the search is entering a critical phase, as the period when survivors are most likely to be found alive beneath collapsed buildings is passing.