At least 132 people have been killed and about 570 injured after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, prompting the government to declare a national disaster situation.
The earthquake struck at 07:34 local time on Monday at a depth of about 103 kilometres, according to Colombia’s geological service. The tremor was felt across a wide area of the country, with casualties and significant structural damage reported in several cities.
Authorities warned that the death toll could increase as emergency teams continue searching collapsed buildings for survivors.
Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, has emerged as one of the worst-affected areas. Local authorities said at least 67 people had died in the city’s metropolitan area, while 65 buildings collapsed.
Rescue workers were also searching 15 collapsed structures where people were believed to be trapped.
Footage verified by the BBC showed a building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, Pereira’s main square, sending debris and dust across the area.
A curfew has been imposed in parts of Pereira as authorities work to manage the emergency and support rescue operations.
The earthquake also caused widespread damage in Cali, where 32 buildings were reported to have collapsed.
One visitor to Cali, 29-year-old Londoner Dan Cutler, described the experience as terrifying.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it,” he told the BBC, recalling how he and his partner were forced to run outside their hotel in their pyjamas as the earthquake struck.
In Manizales, at least two people were reported dead. Residents described walls cracking, bricks falling and dust filling buildings as the tremor shook the city.
Journalist and meteorologist Luis Felipe Molina, who was at home in Manizales when the earthquake struck, said the city’s strict seismic-resistant building regulations helped protect structures from more serious damage.
“I have 450 books and only a few were left standing on the shelves. You could hear glass breaking and people screaming,” he told BBC Mundo.
“It was a terrible and terrifying experience.”
Damage was also reported in Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, while the aviation authority said several regional airports had been affected.
In Bogotá, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre, residents reported trees and traffic lights shaking violently, as well as cracks in some buildings. No major damage to the capital’s infrastructure had been confirmed.
The tremors were also felt in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
The epicentre was located near San José del Palmar in Chocó province. Despite damage to roads connecting the community to surrounding areas, the local mayor, León Fabio Marín Moncada, said there had been no reported deaths or injuries in the village.
Having taken office only on Friday, President Abelardo de la Espriella is now confronted with a major national crisis just days into his presidency, with the earthquake emerging as a potentially defining test of his new administration.
De la Espriella declared a national disaster situation, giving the government additional powers to respond to the crisis, including the ability to redirect public funds towards emergency operations.
The president said more than 1,500 homes had been damaged as authorities continued to assess the scale of the destruction.
International offers of assistance have followed the disaster. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and was ready to support Colombia, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to assist rescue efforts.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and offered personnel and equipment to support the emergency response.
The US Geological Survey estimated that around 1.5 million people experienced shaking close to magnitude seven. Although deep earthquakes are generally considered less dangerous than those occurring nearer the surface, they can still release substantial energy and cause severe damage.
With rescue teams still searching collapsed buildings and authorities working to account for casualties and damage, the immediate priority remains finding survivors, treating the injured and restoring essential services across the worst-hit areas.
Source: BBC
