Death toll rises after Colombia’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake, search continues for hundreds of missing people

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday has killed more people as the search effort moved through the initial response window, according to a report by NPR. The death toll continued to climb into the next day, as authorities expanded recovery operations and attempted to reach victims still trapped in collapsed structures.

NPR reported that hundreds of rescue workers have been deployed to the hardest-hit cities. Teams are focused on locating people believed to be under rubble while continuing assessments of damaged neighborhoods, where debris and unstable buildings can slow rescue work.

Alongside the confirmed fatalities, hundreds of people remain missing, the report said. Rescuers and officials are trying to determine whether missing residents are still alive in damaged buildings, injured, or displaced, as authorities work to confirm identities and account for families.

The response has emphasized rapid movement of search-and-rescue personnel and equipment to areas where damage is concentrated. NPR’s account described ongoing efforts to free victims from collapsed areas even as the overall casualty numbers increased.

Emergency operations are also constrained by the practical challenges that typically follow strong earthquakes, including secondary hazards such as additional structural collapses and difficult access to streets blocked by debris. With search teams operating in the hardest-hit zones, officials have continued the work despite the time-sensitive risk that survivors face in the immediate aftermath.

As authorities continue to update casualty and missing-person figures, the next stage of the response is likely to involve broader efforts to track residents, confirm fatalities, and support families affected by building damage. Officials and rescue workers are expected to keep prioritizing the search for trapped victims while shifting toward longer-term recovery steps as conditions allow.

For families trying to locate loved ones, the expanding list of missing people underscores the uncertainty that can persist after major earthquakes. NPR’s report indicates that the search effort remains active and that officials are still working through information necessary to narrow down who has been accounted for and where survivors may be found.