Rescue Miracle: Colombian Woman Lives After 36 Hours Under Rubble
In the wake of a 7.4‑magnitude earthquake that rattled western Colombia on 12 August 2026, a 32‑year‑old woman, Daniela Largo, was pulled alive from a collapsed building in the city of Pereira after 36 hours of entombment.
Rescuers, including firefighters from Bogotá and the national police response team, dug two tunnels—one from above that delivered oxygen, and one from below that freed Largo—during a ten‑hour operation. The effort was made possible after a local resident heard her cry for help.
The quake caused at least 265 deaths nationwide, with 496 people listed as missing. Pereira alone recorded 79 confirmed deaths, while Cali saw 95.
President Abelardo de la Espriella marked the rescue as a "news which fills us with hope," while Largo’s mother said her 12‑year‑old son was waiting for her home.
The city’s mayor declared a nighttime curfew and promised heightened patrols to ensure safety during ongoing search efforts, which have rescued 87 people so far in Cali.
The earthquake struck at 07:34 local time with shaking lasting between 90 seconds and two minutes, and has produced more than 100 aftershocks to date.
