Hope reborn in Colombia as signs of life emerge under earthquake debris

Rescuers reported apparent signs of life under the rubble in two of the Colombian cities hit hardest by a massive earthquake, rekindling hopes on Friday that more people could be found alive.

Search and rescue teams from Venezuela, Argentina and Israel joined the search for survivors following the 7.4 magnitude quake that struck the South American nation on Monday, killing at least 285 people.

At 96 hours since the temblor hit, the window for survival was narrowing on Friday afternoon.

The mayor of Pereira, Mauricio Salazar, told radio station FM on Friday that “contact was made with a woman who was asking for help amid the rubble” of a collapsed hotel at around 4am.

He suggested other people may have survived but were still trapped.

Authorities in Cali also reported apparent signs of life, saying at least three people were trapped under collapsed buildings.

The search and rescue effort has been extended into Saturday.

With the overall search for survivors winding down, Colombia faced another challenge: rebuilding a nation shattered by a disaster that affected more than 100,000 people.

Tens of thousands of houses were damaged or destroyed, according to the government.

Authorities have also reported damage to thousands of schools, medical facilities and community centres in more than 400 cities.

“There is no place to live, we lost everything,” Ebert Jonathan Morales, 38, said on Friday in a shelter in Cali.

Mr Morales is one of the 102,263 people whose lives were upended by earthquake.

The government says more than 280 people died, nearly 4,000 people were injured and hundreds remain missing.

Private groups estimate the number of missing is in the thousands.

Mr Morales said he, his wife and four children are trying to rebuild from scratch.

“The earthquake destroyed several neighbourhoods in the city,” he said.

“Many houses were damaged, and buildings collapsed.

“We are going to stay here until the government gives us some help, some support.”

The devastation has tested Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was inaugurated just days before the earthquake shook the country’s west.

Mr De la Espriella acknowledged on Thursday night that “the situation is complex” and announced a plan to partner with private companies to rebuild, as well as subsidies for families who are homeless.

“We will not overcome this tragedy alone as a government,” he said.

“We need the private sector to rebuild Colombia together.”

Monday’s earthquake was the most powerful to hit Colombia this century.

Government aid has yet to arrive in some areas, where many people are relying on volunteers and neighbours for help.