Rescuers continue search for survivors after Colombia earthquake; death toll reaches 180 as aftershocks reported

Rescuers in Colombia continued searching for survivors after an earthquake that has killed at least 180 people, with officials and emergency responders scrambling to pull people from rubble and damaged structures as search operations entered their next phase, according to BBC World reporting published Tuesday.

The BBC report said Colombia experienced a number of aftershocks on Tuesday, complicating rescue work and recovery efforts in affected areas. While teams attempted to reach trapped residents, the continued seismic activity raised risks for workers operating near weakened buildings and infrastructure.

The ongoing efforts focused on locating survivors and removing people from collapsed or severely damaged homes and other structures. Rescuers worked amid heightened urgency as families waited for information about relatives believed to be trapped beneath debris, and local responders coordinated the use of equipment and manpower in hard-hit zones.

The BBC described the rescue effort as continuing on Tuesday, with responders still trying to free survivors despite the challenges posed by aftershocks. The death toll of 180 was reported as the number of casualties officials had confirmed at the time of publication.

The report did not provide additional detail in the brief account about the earthquake’s epicenter, magnitude, or which municipalities were hit hardest. It also did not specify the current status of critical services such as hospitals, power, and communications in the most affected localities.

As the search continues, authorities typically face a parallel set of tasks: supporting the displaced, restoring essential services, and ensuring that rescue personnel and residents remain at a safe distance from structures that may be unstable following the initial quake and subsequent aftershocks.

Further updates would be expected as rescue teams report newly recovered victims, assess building safety, and determine whether additional hazards, including secondary landslides or infrastructure failures, are emerging in areas where the quake caused structural damage.