Over 100 dead in Colombia, patients trapped in hospital rubble: 'It was like a hurricane'

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia yesterday, killing at least 111 people. Rescue teams are searching for survivors in the rubble in Cali, Pereira, and Manizales. Patients were trapped in a partially collapsed hospital. The US offered aid, and Israel expressed willingness to help.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia yesterday (Monday), killing at least 111 people, according to authorities. The final toll may be higher, as many are still trapped in the rubble. The epicenter was near the town of San José del Palmar, about 400 kilometers west of Bogotá, at a depth of 96 kilometers. The quake was also felt in Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama. Rescue teams and volunteers are digging with bare hands through the remains of collapsed buildings in Cali, Pereira, and Manizales, amid fears of aftershocks. In the department of Risaralda, 42 people were killed, and in Valle del Cauca, 27. At least 20 buildings collapsed in Cali. An elderly woman and a girl were rescued alive, and patients were trapped in the university hospital in Cali. Areas were cut off from water, electricity, and communications. The US offered aid, and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar offered Israeli assistance. Eyewitnesses described the quake as a 'hurricane'.