Death toll from Colombia earthquake rises to 281, with 379 missing

The death toll from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia earlier this week has risen to 281, with hundreds of people still missing, the EFE news agency reported early Friday.

Citing Colombian authorities, the agency said 3,971 people have been reported injured and 379 remain missing.

The quake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing widespread destruction in several cities and damaging homes, schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure.

The epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar in the department of Choco, with tremors felt in other parts of the country, including Bogota, as well as neighboring countries.

Rescue teams have been searching through collapsed buildings for survivors, while authorities have warned that the window for finding people alive under the rubble is narrowing.