A harrowing rescue operation was caught on camera in Colombia after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck the country on Monday, leaving at least 181 people dead and 2,595 injured. Video footage shared by Brian Osorio Zuluaga on Monday night documents the moment a group of men frantically worked to extract a baby from the ruins of a collapsed building.
In the recording, rescuers are seen clearing concrete with their bare hands after discovering a survivor trapped beneath the debris who shouted, "I'm with a baby," in a muffled voice. As the team worked, the faint cries of the infant could be heard. A subsequent clip shows a man holding the crying child, his own arms bloodied and his lower body still pinned under the rubble. The rescuers successfully freed the infant, shouting for a paramedic before celebrating the life-saving feat. Zuluaga’s footage also captures the team continuing their efforts to extract the man who had been shielding the child.
Reflecting on the scene, Zuluaga noted that he was among the first to arrive at the site, emphasizing the necessity of collective action during the crisis. "Today I understood, more than ever, that no one is really prepared to live through a situation like the one we are experiencing today," he wrote, adding that in such moments, "differences don't matter, what matters is helping." The current medical conditions of the baby and the adult who protected him remain unclear.
As search teams and volunteers continue to race against time, the scale of the tragedy is becoming clearer. President Abelardo de la Espriella, who had been in office for only a few days at the time of the disaster, confirmed the death toll. Meanwhile, civilian-run databases indicate that nearly 4,000 people remain unaccounted for.
International support has begun to mobilize. The United States has pledged over $15 million in aid, while Mexico has offered to deploy hundreds of search and health workers alongside essential medical supplies. Additionally, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced on Tuesday that his nation will send two planes carrying 100 tons of aid in the coming days, stating on X, "Our prayers are with the families of the victims, the wounded and all the Colombian people."
The U.S. has offered over $15 million in aid and Mexico's president said she is prepared to send hundreds of search and health workers, tons of health supplies and other equipment.
