Uncertainty is mounting regarding Mario Alberto Zapata Verdier and Brenda Eloísa Flores Reyes, a Mexican couple from Durango who remain missing in Pereira, Colombia, following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck on August 10.
Their relatives remain hopeful that they will be found alive and are preparing to travel to the area to closely monitor the search efforts.
Mario Alberto Zapata Verdier is 57 years old, while Brenda Eloísa Flores Reyes is 42.
Both are originally from Durango, though their trip to Colombia began in Monterrey, Nuevo León; they departed from there on August 6, bound for Bogotá.
After arriving in the Colombian capital, the couple traveled independently to Pereira—a city in the Risaralda department that was affected by the earthquake—for a vacation.
Communication with their families was cut off on the morning of August 10. Mario had last been in touch with his family shortly before the earthquake to inform them of a change to his return flight to Mexico.
After that message, they stopped responding to calls and messages.
