BOGOTA, Colombia: Rescue teams in western Colombia continued searching for survivors on August 11 after a powerful earthquake caused widespread destruction across the country's coffee-growing region.

Officials warned that the death toll could still rise as emergency workers cleared rubble from collapsed buildings and damaged neighborhoods.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck early on August 10 and has already claimed at least 224 lives. It is considered the strongest earthquake to hit Colombia in decades.

Major cities including Pereira and Cali suffered severe damage. Multi-story buildings collapsed, homes were destroyed, and parts of a historic cathedral in Manizales were severely damaged when one of its towers cracked and partially collapsed.

Rescue crews, supported by police officers, soldiers, and volunteers, worked throughout the night using heavy machinery and hand tools to search for people trapped under debris.

Cali, a city of around 2.2 million residents, was among the worst-affected areas. At least 85 people were reported dead there. Many buildings were either destroyed or left unsafe, forcing large numbers of residents to stay outdoors.

A hospital in the city also suffered serious damage when several upper floors collapsed. Some patients became trapped inside, while about 600 others had to receive treatment outside among the debris after being evacuated.

Volunteers joined rescue operations across the city. One group managed to pull seven people alive from a collapsed building, while several others remained trapped along with a dog. A volunteer involved in the effort said, "A moment ago there was scratching, but now we can't hear anything; we still have faith that the dog is alive and we can get these people out."

In Pereira, the capital of Risaralda province, authorities reported 66 deaths. The city experienced some of the worst destruction, with entire residential areas reduced to rubble. Verified videos showed parts of the city's airport shaking violently during the earthquake, with sections of the ceiling falling as people sought safety.

Another 13 people were killed in Choco province, which lies closest to the earthquake's epicenter.

President Abelardo De La Espriella, who recently took office, said hundreds of people were still unaccounted for. He announced that 1,000 security personnel would be sent to Cali after reports of looting emerged. Authorities imposed overnight curfews in both Cali and Pereira to maintain order.

The earthquake has reminded many Colombians of the devastating 1999 disaster that struck the same coffee-producing region and killed more than 1,000 people. It has also drawn comparisons with the powerful earthquakes that recently caused thousands of deaths in neighboring Venezuela.