At least 20 people were killed after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, collapsing dozens of buildings and leaving people trapped under debris as emergency teams launched rescue operations across the affected areas. The earthquake’s epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar, a municipality of around 4,800 people in Colombia’s Choco region, about 400 kilometres west of the capital Bogota. NDTV, citing the US Geological Survey, reported that the quake struck at a depth of 107 kilometres. Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Ecuador.
Pereira was among the worst-hit areas, with 18 deaths reported in the city, according to Mayor Mauricio Salazar. Several people were trapped after buildings collapsed, prompting emergency personnel to search through the debris for survivors. Two more deaths were reported in Manizales, taking the confirmed toll to at least 20. Authorities warned that the casualty figures could change as rescue teams continued to assess the extent of the destruction.
The earthquake caused widespread damage across several cities, with dozens of structures collapsing and residents rushing out of their homes and workplaces as the ground shook. In Cali, at least 19 buildings collapsed, while rescue personnel were working to reach people believed to be trapped. Damage and injuries were also reported in Quibdo, the capital of Choco department. The force of the earthquake prompted evacuations as residents feared further tremors and aftershocks. Images and videos from affected areas showed damaged buildings and debris scattered across streets.
Colombia’s geological service revised the magnitude of the earthquake upwards to 7.4 and placed its depth at 96 kilometres, while the USGS gave a depth of 107 kilometres. Emergency services remained deployed across the affected region on Monday, with the immediate priority focused on locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures and treating the injured. Authorities described the situation in some of the worst-hit areas as critical as assessments of damage continued. With search-and-rescue operations still underway, officials were working to establish the full scale of casualties and destruction caused by the powerful earthquake.