At 36 hours after the 7.4‑magnitude earthquake that shook western Colombia, a 32‑year‑old woman named Daniela Largo was pulled alive from beneath collapsed concrete slabs.
Firefighters, aided by teams from Bogotá and the national police, had spent ten hours digging two tunnels—one from above to supply oxygen, one from below to reach her—before finally freeing her. Her mother heard her crying for help, and a small camera helped locate her under the rubble.
Official figures now register 188 deaths nationwide, with hundreds still missing. In Pereira, the city where Largo was buried, 79 people have died, the second‑highest casualty count after Cali (95). Overall, more than 200 people in Cali remain trapped, and 80‑plus have already been rescued there.
The quake struck at 07:34 local time on Monday. Experts recorded shaking lasting 90–120 seconds, and since then there have been more than 100 aftershocks.
The mayor of Cali imposed a night‑time curfew, saying “We need to ensure the rescue work can be carried out safely,” adding that there was still hope of finding survivors. President Abelardo de la Espriella praised the rescue as a source of national hope.
