The death toll from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia earlier this week has risen to 281, with hundreds of people still missing.

Colombian authorities say 3,971 people have been injured, while 379 remain missing as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings and damaged communities.

Emergency workers and volunteers have been working through the rubble in an increasingly desperate search for survivors. The critical rescue window is narrowing, with teams urging people to remain silent around collapsed structures so that any signs of life can be detected.

The earthquake caused widespread destruction across western Colombia, affecting major cities including Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó, while thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed.

More than 44,000 families have been affected across 15 departments, according to Colombian authorities, as the country faces a major humanitarian emergency.

Rescue operations are continuing despite the growing challenges posed by unstable buildings and continuing aftershocks.

Authorities are now working simultaneously to locate those still trapped, provide emergency assistance to survivors and begin assessing the scale of the destruction as Colombia confronts one of its most devastating earthquakes in recent history.