294 dead in Colombia quake, hope for survivors ends

Rescue efforts in western Colombia have shifted to recovering bodies five days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar. Colombia's disaster management unit said at least 294 people have died, 320 remain missing and nearly 4,000 are injured. Over two-thirds of the deaths are in Cali and Pereira. Cali fire captain Alberto Hernandez told Reuters that only one site still showed signs of life; elsewhere, teams are in the phase of recovering bodies. Hernandez expects to finish by Sunday before using heavy equipment to clear debris.

The quake destroyed thousands of homes and damaged schools, hospitals and churches from the Pacific port of Buenaventura to the coffee-growing region. Hundreds of survivors are sleeping outdoors in makeshift shelters with shortages of blankets, tents and food. Colombia has recorded 269 aftershocks, adding danger to debris clearing. The disaster is the first major test for President Abelardo De La Espriella, who took office a week ago. He has faced criticism for initially declining rescue teams from some countries but later accepted help from Israel and the US.

De La Espriella said he spoke with President Donald Trump for 10 minutes, requesting a temporary suspension of US tariffs on Colombian goods to aid business recovery. The US Department of Commerce did not immediately respond. Meanwhile, thousands of people in Medellin and Bogota have donated food, clothing and medicine for distribution to affected areas.