Colombia will receive specialized search-and-rescue teams from Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States and Israel as emergency crews continue searching for survivors following the devastating magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck the country.

David Tamayo, director of Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), confirmed that the government was formalizing requests for international teams to reinforce rescue operations in areas affected by the disaster.

The decision comes as Colombian rescue crews continue working through collapsed structures and debris, with international assistance expected to provide additional personnel and specialized equipment.

According to Tamayo, the teams selected to assist Colombia meet international requirements for urban search-and-rescue operations.

Among the standards being considered are guidelines established through INSARAG, the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, a global network operating under the United Nations that establishes international standards and coordination procedures for urban search-and-rescue teams responding to major disasters.

International rescue teams are generally expected to arrive prepared to operate with a high degree of self-sufficiency so they do not place additional pressure on the resources of the country experiencing the disaster.

The four countries selected all have experience deploying emergency personnel internationally.

Ecuador and El Salvador have previously sent search-and-rescue teams to major disasters throughout Latin America, while specialized teams from the United States and Israel have participated in earthquake and disaster responses around the world.

The announcement has also generated discussion over which international rescue groups will be permitted to participate in the Colombian operation.

Mexico’s well-known Los Topos rescue organization had mobilized members to travel to Colombia after the earthquake. The volunteer rescue organization has decades of experience working at earthquake and disaster sites around the world.

Colombian authorities, however, have emphasized that international teams participating through the government’s formal response must meet the operational and coordination requirements established for the mission.

As the rescue operation continues, the arrival of additional international teams could provide an important boost to Colombian crews who have been working around the clock in the search for survivors.

For Colombia, the coming days remain critical as rescue workers race against time to reach people who may still be trapped beneath the rubble.