A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, injuring people and damaging buildings across several cities, while shaking was felt in Bogotá and neighboring Venezuela.
The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, according to Colombia’s geological service. The US Geological Survey placed the epicenter about 5 kilometers east of San José del Palmar, a community in the western department of Chocó.
Chocó Gov. Nubia Carolina Córdoba said people had been injured and buildings had suffered significant damage in Quibdó, the provincial capital.
Authorities began assessing the extent of the destruction while expressing concern about possible aftershocks.
Serious damage was also reported in Pereira, the capital of neighboring Risaralda province. Provincial Gov. Juan Diego Patiño said some buildings were badly damaged, including collapsed facades.
Reports and videos from local media showed structural damage in several cities, including Pereira, Cali and Quibdó.
In Manizales, footage showed part of a neo-Gothic cathedral collapsing, while another nearby building was reported to have deep cracks in its facade.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said residents were trapped in at least 19 collapsed buildings.
The reports were still developing as emergency officials worked to verify the number of casualties and assess damage.
Impact Beyond the Epicenter
Despite the earthquake occurring deep underground, its shaking was felt far from San José del Palmar. Buildings were evacuated in Bogotá, where journalists reported furniture shaking during live broadcasts.
Colombia’s aviation authority also reported damage at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán said there was no major damage in the capital.
The tremor was also felt in Ecuador and Venezuela. Witnesses in Venezuela’s Táchira border state and the central western city of Barquisimeto reported feeling the earthquake.
Earthquakes are relatively common in central and western Colombia, although tremors above magnitude 6 are less frequent. A magnitude-6.2 earthquake near Armenia in 1999 killed more than 1,100 people.
The latest earthquake also comes less than two months after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in June. Those events caused extensive destruction and more than 6,000 deaths, according to the provided reports.
The extent of the damage in Colombia remained under assessment, with officials focusing on affected buildings, trapped residents and infrastructure. The US tsunami warning system reported that there was no tsunami warning following the earthquake.
Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said it was coordinating with local authorities to verify the damage.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said he would personally oversee recovery efforts and establish an emergency center in San José del Palmar.
Authorities are also monitoring the situation for possible aftershocks as damage assessments continue.
Where did the Colombia earthquake occur?
The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region of western Colombia.
How strong was the earthquake?
Colombia’s geological service revised the magnitude to 7.4 and reported a depth of about 96 kilometers.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No. The U.S. tsunami warning system said there was no tsunami warning after the earthquake.
