Massive 7.4 Magnitude Quake Strikes Colombia, Killing at Least 111
Colombian volunteers and rescuers search through rubble for survivors after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake damages at least 1,500 buildings.
Quick Look
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's coffee region and Pacific coast, killing at least 111 people, damaging 1,500 buildings, and prompting a state of emergency.
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Why It Matters
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's coffee region and Pacific coast, damaging at least 1,500 buildings.
Colombian volunteers and rescuers sifted through rubble with bare hands and buckets on Monday, hunting for survivors following a massive 7.4 magnitude quake that has claimed the lives of at least 111 people.
The quake struck several cities across Colombia’s picturesque coffee region and Pacific shortly after 7.30am (local time), sending panicked residents onto the streets and damaging at least 1,500 buildings.
“People ran out naked, people jumped from the second floor of their homes,” Wilmer Cuesta, a law student in Quibdo, said, recounting violent shaking.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella – just three days after being sworn into the job – declared a state of emergency and vowed a concerted rescue effort.
In Cali, volunteers quickly went to work with picks, basic tools and their own hands to try to find survivors. Andres Felipe Mejia was among those who joined a makeshift crew.
Open Questions
- How many people remain missing in the rubble?
- What is the full extent of the infrastructure damage?
