A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, killing over 200 people and leaving many trapped. In the city of Cali, a residential building collapsed, and a man named Brian Osorio Zuluaga rushed to the scene to help with the rescue efforts.
Rescue Efforts
Osorio began shouting into the wreckage for survivors, despite warnings about a possible gas leak. He suddenly asked those around him for silence, and a faint sound rose out of the debris — barely a whisper. A man’s voice replied, ‘Yes, I’m here. I’m with a baby.’ Osorio and several others began moving debris with their hands to reach the pair.
A large concrete slab blocked their way, but they were able to lift it together. The baby was pulled out of the wreckage, and Osorio handed him over to a police officer, who took him to an ambulance. The man was also rescued, and Osorio praised the bravery of everyone who rushed to help.
Aftermath
The earthquake struck at the heart of Colombia’s coffee-growing region, and search and rescue operations are ongoing. The European Union has mobilized its satellite service Copernicus and is providing funding to help the response. In the epicenter of the earthquake, an indigenous leader called on authorities to send food and medicine, saying one person in the community was injured.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
