Hope Flickers in Cali: The Long Search for Efraín Gallego

The devastating 7.4‑meter‑deep quake that struck Colombia on August 10 left Cali a city of rubble, with the four‑storey Torres del Limonar collapsing and trapping dozens of residents.

Efraín Gallego, 80, sits beside the wrecked structure, eyes fixed on the gray monolith. He speaks of his brother, buried under concrete, but his words break with hope, “Every alert that someone might be alive reignites our faith.”

The city mourns at least 95 dead, while rescuers push through heat‑filled mornings, pausing under the rubble whenever survival sounds seep through the concrete. Volunteers bring water, tools and spirits; their silence is a lifeline for survivors attempting to signal from the depths.

Under a night curfew announced by Mayor Alejandro Éder, the site’s operations intensified. A rescuer, James Velasco, reports that, “We have found two alive individuals; they are working to free a trapped man with a sprained leg.”

The emotional toll is visible—many residents, exhausted, sleep on the ground while others gather for collective support. Through the day, the hope that life survives echoes volunteers’ refrain: “Those meant to thrive, do, nothing is written.”