Colombia rescuers find woman alive after earthquake

Colombian rescuers pulled a 32-year-old woman alive from the rubble of a collapsed building, sparking cheers and applause as exhausted crews searched to find more survivors from the country's strongest earthquake in a century.

The rescue in Pereira came as soldiers, firefighters and volunteers searched collapsed buildings across western Colombia after a 7.4-magnitude quake killed at least 241 people and injured more than 1,600.

"We were losing hope and then we received a call," said the woman's mother, adding that a local resident heard cries for help beneath the rubble and joined neighbours in removing debris before professional rescuers arrived.

"Thanks to him, today we're happy," she said. "At home her 12-year-old son is waiting for her."

In Pereira and in Cali, emergency crews used cranes, dogs and heavy machinery to search ruined buildings while volunteers formed human chains to clear debris by hand, hoping to reach people still trapped beneath collapsed structures.

As darkness fell, families prepared to sleep in parks as aftershocks rattled damaged neighbourhoods where entire blocks had been reduced to rubble.

The quake overwhelmed parts of the health system, turning the rescue effort into one of Colombia's largest disaster responses in years.

In Cali, residents armed with picks, shovels and their bare hands joined firefighters in digging through collapsed buildings.

Rescuers stopped every few minutes to call into the rubble and listen for any response.

"We're doing this with our hands, with gloves" said one volunteer. "It's sad to see time slipping away."

In Pereira, army units and sniffer dogs combed through twisted concrete and exposed steel.

At one site, a rescue squad leader abruptly raised his fist, stopping workers so they could listen for signs of life.

Volunteers formed human chains, passing bricks and chunks of masonry hand-to-hand to clear paths into collapsed structures.

While some families waited for news of missing relatives, others were grappling with the loss of homes, possessions and livelihoods.

"We lost everything," said one woman, fighting back tears after escaping the collapse of her home.

"We survived by a miracle, since I managed to get my little boy out and my partner managed to get out too."

From the air, neighbourhoods in Cali appeared flattened, with piles of grey rubble replacing entire blocks of homes and apartment buildings.

Nearby, cars lay crushed beneath fallen walls and concrete slabs.

On one mound of debris, a young couple climbed over broken masonry searching for belongings.

They recovered a box from inside a child's bright red bedside table.

Many survivors spent the night outdoors, either because their homes were damaged or because they feared aftershocks.

One park in Pereira was transformed into a makeshift shelter with tents and mattresses.

"We lost everything, but we're alive," said a 23-year-old man, who was camped there with his wife and seven-month-old son.

"We've never had to do this before, to depend on someone else to help us. It's amazing how life can change."

In Cali, part of the Hospital Universitario del Valle collapsed during the quake, forcing doctors to move patients into a car park and treat some in the open air.

Yet amid the destruction, many Colombians mobilised to help.

Thousands brought water, food and supplies to affected neighbourhoods, while long lines formed outside blood donation centres.

"It's about wanting to help your community, your city and your country," said one person after donating blood.

President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of emergency and promised rent subsidies for affected families during a visit yesterday to Pereira.

The United States announced $15.5 million in emergency aid, while messages of support and offers of assistance arrived from around the world.

As aftershocks continued to rattle damaged cities, rescue crews pressed on through the ruins, hoping more voices, taps or whistles might still emerge.