A massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, claiming at least 80 lives and causing significant structural damage across several provinces.
The tremor, which occurred at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT), was centred near the village of San José del Palmar in the Chocó department, approximately 280 kilometres west of the capital, Bogotá.
The US Geological Survey has warned that “significant casualties and damage are likely” following the powerful quake, which originated at a depth of 103 kilometres.
Widespread destruction and casualties
The impact was felt most severely in the city of Pereira, situated in the country’s coffee-growing region, where Mayor Mauricio Salazar confirmed at least 18 fatalities.
Video footage from Pereira captured the moment a four-storey building collapsed, sending debris onto streets occupied by fruit stalls.
Another two deaths were reported in Manizales, where social media footage showed a collapsed church spire and a building with deep fissures in its façade. Residents in Manizales were seen searching for people feared trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building.
In Cali, the nation’s third-most populous city, authorities reported that approximately 25 buildings have collapsed.
The Governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, confirmed that there are numerous injuries and “severe damage to buildings” in the regional capital, while expressing deep concern regarding the potential for aftershocks.
Furthermore, the country’s aviation authority has reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
National emergency response
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office only last Friday, has convened an emergency committee to address the crisis. The Colombian Army is currently deploying five platoons of specialised rescue soldiers to the affected areas.
These units are equipped with high-precision technological tools and canine teams specifically trained for searching collapsed structures.
In Bogotá, though the tremor lasted for nearly two minutes and caused trees and traffic lights to shake violently, Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán stated that no serious structural damage to infrastructure has been reported, despite some cracks in buildings.
During a live broadcast on Caracol Radio, journalists described furniture shaking in their studio. Mayor Galán has mobilised 100 rescuers to be dispatched to CATAM (Military Transportation Air Command) for deployment to the cities prioritised by the national government.
Regional impact and context
The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Venezuela, specifically in the border states of Táchira and Zulia.
Táchira Governor Freddy Bernal reported that while emergency response agencies have been deployed and assessments are underway, there have been no casualties or serious infrastructure issues recorded in the state so far.
This disaster follows the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on 24 June, which resulted in more than 6,100 deaths.
