Colombia enters 'final phase' of quake search as toll hits 265

PEREIRA, Aug 13: Rescuers in Colombia were making last-ditch efforts to locate earthquake survivors early Thursday, as the critical 72-hour window for rescue operations neared its end.
The magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, has killed 265 people, injured more than 3,500 and left almost 500 missing, according to local authorities.
In cities such as Cali and Pereira, emergency crews worked through a third night with their bare hands, cranes and sniffer dogs, stopping not to rest but to listen for signs of life.
Thursday morning will mark 72 hours since the quake, a period when survivors are considered most likely to be found alive beneath collapsed buildings.
Cali resident Martha Perez said she felt "helpless" as two relatives were thought to still be trapped under rubble.
"We will hold on to (hope) until the very end," Perez told AFP on Wednesday night.�"AFP