"Save the Baby First"...Citizens Dug Through Rubble with Bare Hands to Rescue Infant from Collapsed Building

Residents Rescue Survivors With Bare Hands From Collapsed Building in Cali
Baby, Man Among Those Found Alive
At Least 265 Dead in Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake

As the death toll from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia has risen to at least 265, the dramatic story of citizens rescuing a baby and a man from the rubble of a collapsed building has come to light. Rescue authorities are continuing their search and rescue operations, even beyond the crucial 72-hour window after the earthquake, during which survival is typically considered most likely.

The rescued baby was handed over to the on-site police officer and then transferred to an ambulance. Residents then also rescued a man trapped in the debris. SNS

According to reports, including CNN on August 12 (local time), on August 10, the day the earthquake occurred, Brian Osorio Zuluaga was riding his motorcycle home when he came upon the collapse of the five-story residential complex 'Torres del Limonar' in Cali, a city in western Colombia. Despite warnings from those nearby that there could be gas leaks, Osorio approached the debris and called out to see if there were any survivors. He then asked bystanders to be quiet for a moment, and in the ensuing silence, a faint male voice could be heard from deep within the concrete rubble.

The rescued baby was handed over to on-site police officers and then transferred to an ambulance. Residents subsequently rescued a man trapped in the debris. SNS

The man indicated that he was with a baby. Osorio and nearby residents immediately began removing concrete and construction materials with their bare hands. However, a massive concrete slab blocked access to the two victims. At first, the slab would not budge, but as more people joined in, they managed to lift it little by little. While some residents held up the slab, others squeezed through to reach the baby.

Osorio told CNN that the baby's face, visible through the rubble, appeared purplish as if she could barely breathe. Once the surrounding debris was cleared away, the baby began to breathe again, and color returned to her face. In the recorded footage, the dust-covered baby is carefully moved out of the rubble, while the man holding her can be seen partially trapped beneath fallen concrete with blood running down his arm.

At the earthquake site in Cali, western Colombia, with a shortage of heavy machinery, residents and volunteers are forming human chains and helping with rescue operations by moving debris with buckets. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The rescued baby was handed over to the on-site police officer and then transferred to an ambulance. Residents subsequently rescued the man who had been trapped in the debris. In the video confirmed by CBS, rescue workers and citizens are seen extracting the baby first and then continuing their efforts to save the man. Osorio emphasized that the rescue would not have been possible by the efforts of just one person, stressing that the cooperation of everyone present at the scene was what saved two lives.

At Least 265 Dead from Colombian Earthquake

On site, amidst a shortage of heavy machinery, residents and volunteers are forming human chains and passing buckets to move debris, assisting in the rescue work. During the operations, rescue teams are periodically stopping equipment and minimizing noise and vibrations in order to detect signs of life under the rubble. Police are restricting access for volunteers at the scene, allowing for a more systematic search for survivors using sensors.

On site, with a shortage of heavy machinery, residents and volunteers are forming human chains to help with rescue operations by transporting debris with buckets. Photo by AP Yonhap News Agency

The scope of the disaster continues to grow. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on the evening of August 12 that at least 265 people had been killed and about 500 reported missing as a result of the earthquake. However, over 4,100 names are registered in a privately run missing persons database, so it may take time before the final scale of the damage is confirmed.

Aftershocks Increase Damage and Hamper Rescue Efforts

Aftershocks have also continued in the wake of the main quake. According to the Associated Press, Colombian geological authorities had counted as many as 130 aftershocks as of August 12. Fearing additional collapses, some residents have been unable to return home and are spending nights in parks and temporary shelters. Especially in remote areas of Choco Department near the epicenter, communication cuts and poor transportation conditions are making it impossible to fully assess the extent of the damage.

The death toll from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia has risen to at least 265, as rescue teams and citizens continue voluntary rescue efforts amidst the rubble of collapsed buildings. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Meanwhile, rescue teams are continuing to search major collapse sites in Cali and Pereira, even on the third day after the earthquake. The mayor of Cali stated on the afternoon of August 12 that signs of life continued to be detected beneath the wreckage, emphasizing, "Every moment counts." As search operations to find missing persons continue across Colombia's quake-stricken areas, the Colombian government has declared three days of national mourning.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.