7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Kills At Least 111 in Colombia, Dozens of Buildings Collapse
Colombia Earthquake: A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, with tremors felt in the capital Bogota and across several parts of the country. The Colombian government has declared a national emergency following widespread damage.
Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, said the death toll has now reached 111. At least 87 others were injured, and 61 buildings collapsed in cities across western Colombia, he said, adding that rescuing survivors remains his priority. The president said he will personally oversee recovery efforts. The quake was powerful enough to be felt in neighbouring Ecuador.
Early reports had put the casualty figure at 20, with 20 buildings reported collapsed. Several people remain trapped in collapsed buildings, and the toll may rise further.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings collapsed in the city, trapping people inside. Cali has requested rescue teams from Bogota and Medellin to assist recovery efforts, he added.
In Pereira, 18 people were killed and others remain trapped in collapsed buildings, said Mayor Mauricio Salazar. Two people were killed in Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said in a radio interview.
Choco Governor Nubia Córdoba said on social media that the region has suffered injuries and serious building damage, without giving further details.
Damage has been reported at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, with air operations suspended at all six pending structural safety assessments.
Conflicting magnitude readings
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) measured the quake at 7.4 magnitude, striking at a depth of approximately 115 kilometres. Colombia’s Geological Service issued a lower preliminary estimate of magnitude 6.7 at a depth of 82 kilometres, placing the epicentre near San José del Palmar in the western Chocó department.
The US Tsunami Warning System measured the quake differently still, at 7.1 magnitude, and confirmed no tsunami warning was issued. Shaking was felt in several parts of Colombia far from the epicentre, with early reports suggesting tremors reached toward the Venezuela border. Magnitude estimates remain preliminary and may be revised as agencies analyse further data.
Also Read:Colombia, Ecuador Rocked By Powerful 7.4 Magnitude Earthquakes
The quake struck at around 7:34 am local time and was felt in Bogotá, Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Meta and other regions, according to local reports. Emergency authorities activated response and prevention protocols while assessing casualties and damage.
Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said the quake caused injuries and significant building damage in the departmental capital, Quibdo, and warned of possible aftershocks. “We have just experienced a major earthquake in the department of Choco. We are concerned about aftershocks. Although the epicentre 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,” she said in a post on X.
Colombia is among the most seismically active countries in South America, sitting near several tectonic plate boundaries and major fault systems. According to the Colombian Geological Service, the country has recorded more than 100 destructive earthquakes, concentrated particularly in the Andean region, the eastern foothills of the Eastern Cordillera, and the Pacific region.