A powerful earthquake struck Colombia early Monday, shaking major cities including Bogotá and Cali and leaving at least 71 people dead, according to the newsite eltiempo.com while causing the collapse of more than 20 buildings in the country’s west, according to authorities and AFP journalists.
The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time (12:34 GMT) and measured 7.4 in magnitude, according to both the Colombian Geological Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake originated at a depth of about 100 kilometers (62 miles), with its epicenter near San José del Palmar, in the western department of Chocó.
Authorities reported all 18 fatalities in the city of Pereira, while officials in Cali said at least 20 buildings had collapsed, trapping people inside.
«So far we have confirmed 18 deaths. Sadly, the situation is critical,» Pereira Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio, however by 2:00 pm Eastern Time (US) the death toll had risen to at least 71 according to El Tiempo, Colombia´s main newspaper.
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said emergency crews were responding to multiple building collapses.
«We have at least 20 collapsed structures in Cali with people trapped inside. I have requested rescue teams from the mayors of Bogotá and Medellín,» Eder said.
Chocó Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba said on X that there were injuries and «severe damage to buildings.» Video obtained by an AFP journalist showed a collapsed building in Quibdó, the department’s capital.
«It Was Extremely Strong»
Local media published images of collapsed homes in Pereira and Manizales, two cities in Colombia’s Coffee Region.
«There is no electricity or cellphone service. It was extremely strong,» said Martha Estrada, 66, who experienced the quake there. «Things inside the house fell everywhere.»
Colombia’s Civil Aviation Authority suspended operations at the airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura while authorities assess structural damage.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on Friday, announced he would travel to the Coffee Region to evaluate the situation firsthand.
«I will personally travel to Pereira to support those affected and oversee the government’s response,» he wrote on X.
The earthquake was also felt across neighboring countries. Tremors reached Quito, Ecuador, several provinces in Panama, where some hospitals were evacuated, and parts of Venezuela.
On June 24, a pair of powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela, killing more than 6,000 people and causing widespread destruction.
«We realized something was wrong because the lamps were swinging back and forth,» said Ana Hernández, 66, a homemaker in the Venezuelan city of Maracaibo. «At first I thought I was just feeling dizzy.»
International Assistance Offered
Colombia’s disaster management agency ruled out the possibility of a tsunami.
Authorities in neighboring Panama are assessing damage in the remote Darién border region.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged to provide Colombia with «all the assistance it needs.»
Israel also offered support as diplomatic relations with Colombia resume following the inauguration of President De la Espriella.
In Bogotá, office buildings were evacuated as sirens echoed across the city, AFP reporters said. Many residents, some still wearing pajamas, rushed into the streets.
«The shaking was incredibly strong,» said Valeria Polo, a 29-year-old content creator in downtown Bogotá.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán told Blu Radio that only minor cracks had been reported in a handful of homes and buildings in the capital.
