Colombia quake death toll tops 180 as search enters critical phase

Rescue crews and volunteers across western Colombia raced to find survivors Tuesday after a magnitude-7.4 earthquake killed more than 180 people, injured about 2,600 and left thousands missing. The dead were concentrated in Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdo, while authorities said more than 1,000 homes were destroyed. Teams used excavators and bucket brigades to clear collapsed apartment blocks and other buildings, pausing for silence when they thought they heard signs of life. In Cali, rescuers pulled at least 86 people from the rubble, including a 6-month-old baby and the child's mother. The quake's epicenter was in Choco, a poor region where transport limits and airport closures have complicated aid deliveries and damage assessments.