Colombia earthquake: Death toll rises past 180 as search for survivors continues in Cali

A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, causing the most severe damage and highest death toll in Cali, the country's third-most populous city. The disaster occurred in early-to-mid August 2026, with initial reports emerging around August 11 and updated coverage continuing through August 12. Colombia's president reported that the death toll had risen to 181 people approximately 48 hours after the quake struck. Thousands of people were reported missing in the aftermath, and rescue crews worked through the night searching collapsed buildings for survivors and victims still trapped in rubble. At least one rescue was described as producing a notable moment of hope amid the broader search efforts, though specific details of individual rescues were not consistently corroborated across sources. As of the latest reporting, search and rescue operations remained active and were described as entering a critical phase approximately 24 hours after the earthquake, with crews continuing efforts to locate survivors. The exact final death toll, total number of missing persons, and extent of structural damage remained unresolved, as figures were still being updated across reports. It is unclear how many people, if any, have been rescued alive beyond the single highlighted case, and the full scope of casualties and displacement had not yet been confirmed.