A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, killing at least 111 people and injuring hundreds more in the strongest tremor to hit the country this century.
The quake struck at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT) near the town of San José del Palmar in Chocó department, at a depth of around 100-110 kilometres. It was felt across much of Colombia and in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office only days earlier, declared a national emergency and said the death toll stood at 111, with at least 87 people injured. Other local authorities and the Colombian Association of Capital Cities put the number of dead at 132, with more than 570 injured. The figures are expected to rise as rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings.
The hardest hit areas include the coffee-growing city of Pereira and surrounding Risaralda department, as well as Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, where dozens of buildings collapsed. Significant damage was also reported in Manizales, Quibdó and other western towns. More than 1,500 buildings were damaged nationwide, along with hospitals, schools and several airports that temporarily suspended operations.
Colombia’s Geological Service described the earthquake as the strongest recorded in the country in the 21st century. Dozens of aftershocks followed, the largest around magnitude 5.0.
Search and rescue operations are continuing, with residents and emergency crews working through the rubble. The government has mobilised national resources and accepted offers of international assistance.
Source : Africanews
