Miracle Rescue: Woman Pulled Alive After 36 Hours Trapped in Colombian Earthquake Rubble

In a remarkable display of resilience and dedicated rescue efforts, Daniela Largo, a 32-year-old woman, was pulled alive from the debris of a collapsed building in Pereira, Colombia. She had been buried for an astonishing 36 hours following a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the region.

The complex rescue operation, which lasted for 10 hours, involved firefighters and a disaster response team who meticulously dug two tunnels beneath four heavy concrete slabs to reach Largo.

Initially, a local resident heard Largo’s cries for help, prompting emergency services to the scene. A small camera was used to locate her, but the precarious and heavy nature of the debris presented significant challenges.

While one tunnel allowed rescuers to provide oxygen, it was a second tunnel, dug from below, that ultimately enabled them to free her. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella celebrated the rescue on social media, calling it “news which fills us with hope.”

Largo’s mother shared the joyous news, mentioning that her 12-year-old son was eagerly awaiting her return. The earthquake has had a devastating impact, with reports indicating at least 265 deaths and hundreds missing nationwide. Pereira alone suffered 79 fatalities, with 92 buildings collapsing and many still trapped or unaccounted for. The quake’s epicenter was near San José del Palmar, with over 100 aftershocks recorded since the initial tremor.