PEREIRA, COLOMBIA (VINnews) — Two days after a devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, the death toll has climbed to nearly 200, with thousands of people still reported missing, according to officials and international media reports.

Rescue teams continued working through piles of rubble Wednesday in a desperate race to find survivors before the critical window closes. The quake, the strongest to hit the country this century, struck Monday morning near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. It caused widespread destruction across western provinces, heavily damaging cities including Pereira, Cali, Quibdó and Manizales.

Buildings collapsed, roads were blocked by landslides, and hospitals treated thousands of injured. Colombian authorities declared a national emergency and state of disaster. Search-and-rescue operations involving soldiers, firefighters, the Red Cross and volunteers have been ongoing around the clock. International offers of aid have come from the United States, Ecuador, El Salvador, Israel and other countries.

CBS News national correspondent Lilia Luciano reported from the scene in Pereira, where crews were still digging for those trapped under collapsed structures. Dramatic rescues have included people pulled alive after more than a day under the debris, though officials warn the number of confirmed dead is expected to rise.

The Colombian Geological Service recorded the quake at intermediate depth along the Nazca plate subduction zone. It was felt across much of western and central Colombia and into neighboring Ecuador and Panama. More than 100 aftershocks have followed.

Authorities have imposed curfews in some hard-hit areas, suspended public events and mobilized additional military engineers and equipment to clear debris and restore basic services. Forensic teams continue identifying victims as the search enters its third day.