Colombia on Monday declared a state of emergency after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country, killing at least 111 people, injuring 87 and damaging more than 1,000 buildings.
The earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 am (1234 GMT), triggering frantic rescue efforts in several cities as emergency teams searched for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
“The national government is maintaining all its capacities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid to every area that needs it,” President Abelardo de la Espriella said in Bogota.
The president, who was appointed just three days ago, said the disaster had left 111 people dead, 87 injured and more than 1,000 buildings damaged.
The epicentre was located in the coastal Chocó region at a depth of about 100 kilometres (60 miles), where authorities reported 12 deaths.
Pereira was among the worst-hit areas. Local authorities said at least 40 people had died in the wider Risaralda region, of which Pereira is the capital.
In Manizales, the earthquake damaged a tower of a historic cathedral, while numerous other buildings were affected, according to an AFP journalist at the scene.
“A great many buildings” were damaged, said Jaime Zuluaga, a 50-year-old administrative worker. “Traffic is paralysed, and people don’t want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock.”
Rescue teams search for missing
In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, at least 20 buildings collapsed, trapping people beneath the rubble, Mayor Alejandro Eder said.
Chocó Governor reported severe damage in Quibdó, the provincial capital, where videos showed several buildings reduced to rubble.
“We are all devastated,” Quibdó community leader Luis Gregorio Moreno told AFP.
“There are reported deaths and dozens of wounded, but most concerning are the missing people,” he said.
The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. In Bogota, residents rushed out of buildings and gathered in the streets after feeling the powerful tremor.
Still wearing their pyjamas, crowds fled their homes as the quake struck, AFP reporters observed.
“The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29-year-old content creator in the capital, where only limited damage was reported.
Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, according to the civil aeronautics agency, while the country’s football governing body postponed upcoming matches.
International support
The United States said it was closely monitoring the disaster and was prepared to assist Colombia.
“Washington is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered support, saying the European Union had already activated its Copernicus satellite service to assist rescue operations.
Israel, Mexico, Ecuador and France also offered assistance to Colombia.
The earthquake comes as Latin America continues to grapple with the effects of other major natural disasters, underscoring the region’s vulnerability to powerful seismic events.
AFP
