A significant 7.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Colombia on Monday, causing injuries and substantial damage, particularly in a province on the Pacific Coast and the city of Pereira. The tremor was felt as far away as the capital, Bogota, and neighboring Venezuela.
The quake, which occurred at 7:30 a.m. local time, had a depth of 60 miles, according to Colombia's geological service. The epicenter was located in San Jose Del Palmar, approximately 250 miles west of Bogota. The U.S. tsunami warning system indicated that no tsunami was expected.
In Cali, a city of 2.3 million people in western Colombia, at least 20 buildings collapsed. Hospitals in the city were compelled to evacuate patients, with rows of elderly individuals seen on beds outside the facilities. The quake's tremors were registered in Ecuador and Panama, and it prompted building evacuations in Bogota.
Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi reported significant damage to buildings in Quibdo, the provincial capital, despite the epicenter being near San Jose del Palmar. An assessment of the damage was underway.
Juan Diego Patino, governor of the neighboring Risaralda province, described "serious damage to some buildings" in Pereira. He characterized the event as "very severe" with "shocking images, with people injured and building facades collapsed."
Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management stated it was in contact with local authorities to ascertain the extent of potential damage. Bogota's mayor, Carlos Galan, confirmed no major damage in the capital.
Flights were suspended from six airports following the earthquake, as reported by the country's aviation authority. Damage was reported at the airports of Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Colombia due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone known for frequent seismic activity. Approximately 90 percent of the world's largest earthquakes happen within this belt.
