Colombia earthquake rescue efforts enter 'final phase' as death toll rises

Colombia's earthquake rescue efforts entered what officials called the "final phase" on Wednesday, as rescuers searched for signs of life beneath collapsed buildings before the critical first 72 hours came to an 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 the city of Pereira, crews focused on a collapsed bakery where they believe a street vendor trapped since Monday's earthquake may still be alive beneath the rubble. Using equipment that detects vibrations, rescuers said they had picked up possible signs of life from Pablo Loaiza, prompting anxious relatives to gather outside the wreckage. "They tell us it could be him," said 16-year-old Sara Loaiza, his niece. "My heart is about to burst out of my chest," she cried. Relatives said the trapped man appeared to respond when rescuers asked him to knock twice, then three times from beneath the rubble, drawing applause from those gathered at the scene. Read moreColombia declares three days of mourning as search for quake survivors continues Crews are approaching 72 hours since the quake, a period w...