Hyderabad: At least 132 people have died and 570 others were injured after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia. Rescue teams are continuing operations as authorities fear the death toll could rise further.
The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in Chocó province. The Colombian Geological Service placed the quake at a depth of more than 100 kilometres.
The powerful tremor was felt across a vast area of Colombia. Shaking was also reported in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
Pereira, Cali, Manizales and Quibdó were among the worst affected cities. Authorities have reported collapsed buildings, damaged homes, roads and airports across several departments.
Pereira Among Worst-Hit Areas as Rescue Operations Continue
Pereira, around 55 kilometres from the epicentre, suffered some of the heaviest damage. At least 67 people have reportedly died in the city’s metropolitan area.
Authorities have reported 65 collapsed buildings in the Pereira area. People are feared trapped inside several of the structures, prompting an urgent search and rescue operation.
Videos from Pereira showed debris scattered across Plaza Bolívar after a building collapsed. Emergency workers have been searching damaged structures for survivors.
A curfew has also been imposed in parts of Pereira until early Tuesday as authorities work to secure affected areas.
Cali, located around 160 kilometres south of Pereira, also suffered extensive damage. At least 32 buildings were reported to have collapsed in the city.
Residents described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently. Some people rushed into the streets after being awakened by the earthquake.
The earthquake also caused deaths and injuries in Manizales, Quibdó and other areas of Chocó and Valle del Cauca. At least two deaths were reported in Manizales.
In Manizales, residents reported cracks in buildings and falling bricks. Part of the city’s historic cathedral was also damaged.
The country’s aviation authorities reported damage at several regional airports. These included airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.
Flights and airport operations were affected as authorities inspected runways, terminals and other infrastructure for safety.
In Bogotá, the earthquake caused trees and traffic lights to shake violently. Some buildings developed cracks, although no major infrastructure damage was immediately reported.
The earthquake has been described as the strongest recorded in Colombia in the 21st century. More than 1,500 homes have also been reported damaged.
The US Geological Survey estimated that around 1.5 million people experienced strong shaking.
Despite its considerable depth, the earthquake caused severe structural damage across western Colombia. Deep earthquakes can sometimes produce fewer aftershocks, but their energy can still affect buildings over a wide area.
Colombia’s newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and ordered special measures to accelerate the response. He established a unified command structure to coordinate rescue operations, emergency assistance and the allocation of government resources.
The disaster represents one of the first major tests for de la Espriella, who took office on August 7.
International support has also begun to emerge. The United States said it was closely monitoring the situation and was ready to assist Colombia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to support the emergency response.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also expressed solidarity with Colombia and offered personnel and equipment for rescue operations.
Emergency teams are continuing to assess the extent of the destruction, particularly in remote areas of Chocó where damaged roads and difficult terrain are complicating access.
Authorities have warned that casualty and damage figures could change as rescuers reach more affected communities and inspect collapsed buildings.
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