Woman pulled alive from rubble 36 hours after Colombia quake

What the report says

BBC World News reports that rescue crews in western Colombia pulled 32-year-old Daniela Largo alive from the wreckage of a collapsed building in Pereira after she had been trapped for 36 hours following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake. The recovery took around 10 hours and required firefighters to dig tunnels beneath four large concrete slabs to reach her. A small camera was used to help locate her, and emergency workers also supplied oxygen while they worked to free her.

The rescue came amid a wider disaster response after the quake, which struck on Monday morning and was felt across a broad area. Official figures cited by the report put the death toll at at least 188, with hundreds still missing. Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, has been among the worst affected areas, alongside Cali, where many people were also reported trapped and missing.

According to the BBC, local firefighters were supported by reinforcements from Bogotá and by the national police disaster response team. The publication says at least 92 buildings collapsed in Pereira, while rescue efforts continued in other hard-hit areas under a night curfew in Cali. The successful rescue of Largo has been presented by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella as a rare hopeful moment during the ongoing emergency.