Powerful 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Western Colombia, Causing Widespread Damage and Casualties

Residents and rescue workers search through the rubble of a collapsed building

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, leaving several people dead and causing widespread damage, with buildings collapsing and residents trapped in several cities. The tremor was felt across Colombia, including the capital Bogota, as well as in neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador. At least 77 have been killed with toll expected to rise with some estimates saying it could rise cross 1,000. Risaralda province reported the highest toll, with 42 deaths, according to Governor Juan Diego Patino. In Pereira, buildings suffered major damage, while three people were killed in Manizales and one person died in Buenaventura after a building collapsed. In Cali, more than two dozen structures collapsed, with several people still trapped in the rubble, as reported by Reuters.

The quake also disrupted air travel, with flights suspended at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura as authorities inspected the facilities for structural issues after damage was reported. The US Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's geological service recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.4. Its epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province, at a depth of around 107 km (66 miles). The USGS warned that “Significant casualties and damage are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.”

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said in a post on X that he will personally supervise recovery efforts and install an emergency center in San Jose del Palmar. "I have directly assumed leadership of the emergency response in San José del Palmar. I have ordered the establishment of a Unified Command Post to coordinate the attention to the damages and the affected individuals. I have requested from the director of the UNGRD a detailed report on the situation and the most urgent needs. I will also be personally in Pereira to accompany the affected people and verify the Government's response," he said (translated from Spanish)

Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said there were injuries and significant damage to buildings in the provincial capital, Quibdo, while authorities began assessing the impact. She also warned of possible aftershocks. "We have just experienced a major earthquake in the department of Choco. We are concerned about aftershocks. Although the epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, there are injuries and significant damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdo. We are already carrying out a damage assessment and will issue the first official report shortly," governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said on X.

Additionally, the governor of neighboring Risaralda province, Juan Diego Patino, told local Blu Radio there was "serious damage to some buildings" in Pereira, the provincial capital. "What has just occurred is very severe. The images are truly shocking, with people injured and building facades collapsed," he said.

Meanwhile, Bogota's mayor, Carlos Galan, said on X there was no major damage in the capital. Five platoons of rescue soldiers are being deployed to areas across Colombia that may require attention following the earthquake this morning, the Colombian Army said in a post on X. “With specialized search and rescue capabilities in collapsed structures, our soldiers have high-precision technological means and canine binomials trained for the specific search for people."

“We keep our capacities available to respond in a timely manner and protect the lives of Colombians,” it added. More than 2 million people were exposed to very strong shaking during the earthquake in Colombia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The shaking, rated 7 out of 10 on the USGS scale, could cause “considerable damage in poorly built structures” and slight to moderate damage to well-built buildings, reported CNN.

Zarzal, Pereira and Armenia were among the most populated cities likely affected. USGS estimated the widespread damage could result in “significant casualties”, with roughly a one-in-three chance that fatalities could exceed 1,000.