Woman Rescued from Earthquake Rubble in Pereira Dies After Health Complications

Daniela Largo, a 32 year old woman rescued after spending 36 hours trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building in Pereira, died on Saturday, August 15. Largo was trapped during a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck on August 10 with an epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó. According to reports, she was found in a triangle of life under four concrete slabs and was extracted on the night of August 11 after a rescue operation involving teams from Pereira, Bogotá, and Polnasar.

Following her rescue, Largo was taken to the Hospital Universitario San Jorge where she suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest. Her father, Julio Cesar Largo, stated that she required resuscitation for 17 minutes and that her heart was functioning at only 20 percent. Medical complications included severe dehydration, hypertension, and damage to a lung. Her father also noted that her arm had been trapped under a door, leading to gangrene and a situation where the circulation of retained blood upon release caused damage to her brain, heart, kidneys, and liver.

Reports on the rescue operation vary slightly in detail. One account notes the operation lasted over 10 hours, while another cites a seven hour duration involving dogs and camera probes. The broader impact of the earthquake, according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, includes 287 deaths, 3,975 injuries, and 378 missing persons, with over 135,000 people affected.