Fidelia Soriwei with Agency reports
Colombia has declared a national disaster emergency after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed at least 132 people and injured more than 480 others, making it one of the country’s deadliest earthquakes in recent years.
Authorities warned that the death toll could increase as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings for people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The earthquake struck at 07:34 local time on Monday at a depth of 103 kilometres in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s Geological Service.
Tremors were felt across a vast area of western Colombia and extended into neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the disaster declaration, granting authorities special powers to respond to the emergency and reallocate public funds. He also said more than 1,500 homes were damaged by the quake.
The city of Pereira, located about 55 kilometres from the epicentre, suffered some of the worst destruction. Local officials reported at least 40 deaths in the metropolitan area, while 65 buildings collapsed and people were believed to be trapped in 15 of them. A curfew was imposed in parts of the city until Tuesday morning.
Verified footage showed a building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, Pereira’s main square, sending debris and dust across the area.
Significant damage was also reported in Cali, where 32 buildings collapsed. Deaths were recorded in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín and other communities across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions.
The earthquake’s epicentre was near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó province. Despite damage to roads leading into and out of the area, Mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said there were no reported deaths or injuries in the community.
Dan Cutler, a British traveller staying in Cali, described the experience: “I’ve never experienced anything like it.”
“We sprinted outside in our pyjamas. There’s no major structural damage to the hotel, but there are surface cracks in the walls, and paint and plaster have peeled off,” he said.
In Manizales, hotel guest Angélica Ávila recalled the panic as the quake struck. “Everyone was screaming… I saw dust coming out of the neighbouring buildings, and bricks were falling off the walls,” she said.
Journalist and meteorologist Luis Felipe Molina said, “I have 450 books and only a few were left standing on the shelves. You could hear glass breaking and people screaming.”
“It was a terrible and terrifying experience.”
Colombia’s aviation authority reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura. International leaders, including officials from the United States, the European Union and El Salvador, offered assistance as rescue and recovery efforts continued across the affected regions.
