More than 100 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (August 10), toppling buildings and trapping survivors beneath the rubble in the country's strongest quake this century — with rescuers racing against time as night closed in.

As dusk fell over Cali, rescuers called out into the rubble of a collapsed medical supply store in the hard-hit Tequendama neighbourhood searching for signs of life. Nearby, people formed human chains to clear debris by hand at what was once a large bakery while heavy machinery moved in alongside ambulances on standby — the search for survivors pressing on as darkness settled across the stricken city.

The quake struck just days after Abelardo De La Espriella was sworn in as president, thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis, with memories still fresh of devastating twin earthquakes in neighbouring Venezuela in June.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 7.4-magnitude quake struck at a depth of 107 km (66 miles). Colombia's Geological Service said it was the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in the 21st century.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. PEOPLE CALLING OUT FOR QUAKE SURVIVORS AS RESCUER PEERS INTO RUBBLE

2. VARIOUS OF VOLUNTEERS AND RESCUERS PEERING INTO RUBBLE DURING SEARCH FOR BODIES AND QUAKE SURVIVORS

3. VOLUNTEER STANDING ON RUBBLE AND CALLING OUT TO POSSIBLE SURVIVOR TRAPPED UNDER THE RUBBLE, SAYING (Spanish): "All the rescue teams are doing their work. Wait, stay strong, woman. We are getting to you."

4. VARIOUS OF FIREFIGHTER USING TORCHLIGHT DURING SEARCH

5. BYSTANDERS WATCHING

6. VARIOUS OF RESCUERS CLIMBING ONTO RUBBLE DURING SEARCH FOR SURVIVORS

7. RESCUER WALKING PAST AND POINTING TO A SPOT

8. PEOPLE GESTURING FOR SILENCE WHILE FIREFIGHTER LOOKS FOR SURVIVORS WITHIN RUBBLE

9. FIREFIGHTER CALLING OUT THROUGH THE RUBBLE, SAYING (Spanish): "Please, if somebody hears me, make a noise."

10. FIREFIGHTER, SAYING (Spanish): "I heard some whispering."

11. AMBULANCES ON STANDBY

CALI, COLOMBIA (AUGUST 10, 2026) (REUTERS – Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

12. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CLEARING DEBRIS

13. VARIOUS OF SECURITY PERSONNEL STANDING BY NEAR DEBRIS

14. FRONT LOADER AND OTHER HEAVY MACHINERY CLEARING RUBBLE AND DEBRIS

15. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FORMING HUMAN CHAINS TO CLEAR DEBRIS

16. TRUCK AND HEAVY MACHINERY ON STANDBY

17. PEOPLE FORMING HUMAN CHAINS TO CLEAR DEBRIS

18. CLEAN-UP OPERATION IN PROGRESS

19. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE FORMING HUMAN CHAINS TO CLEAR DEBRIS

20. BYSTANDERS WATCHING CLEAN-UP OPERATION IN PROGRESS