At Least 132 Killed in Colombia’s Largest Earthquake in Years
At least 132 people have died and a state of emergency has been declared after Colombia was hit by one of its largest earthquakes in years.
The death toll is expected to rise, with more people feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT) at a depth of 103km (64 miles) in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s geological service. The powerful tremor was felt across a vast area, stretching hundreds of miles across western Colombia.
Many of the deaths have been reported in Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region. Surrounding cities and parts of the Valle del Cauca region were also badly affected.
The earthquake’s epicentre was near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó province. However, local mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said there had miraculously been no deaths or injuries there, despite roads leading in and out of the village being damaged.
More than 480 people were injured, according to an update from Colombia’s Association of Capital Cities.
Pereira Among the Worst-Hit Areas
Located about 55km (34 miles) from the epicentre, the city of Pereira suffered some of the worst damage.
Videos verified by the BBC showed at least one building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, the city’s main square. Debris and dust were scattered across the square, where many people had gathered.
Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths in Pereira’s metropolitan area, while 65 buildings had collapsed. At least 15 of those buildings are believed to have people trapped inside.
A curfew has been imposed in parts of the city until 05:00 local time on Tuesday.
In Cali, around 160km south of Pereira and about 200km from the epicentre, 32 buildings were reported to have collapsed.
Dan Cutler, 29, from London, has been travelling in Colombia with his partner for about two months and was staying in Cali when the earthquake struck.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it,” he told the BBC.
“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.”
Deaths were also reported in Manizales, Quibdó and Medellín, as well as across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions. At least two people were killed in Manizales.
Residents Describe Terrifying Scenes
Speaking to the BBC World Service, Angélica Ávila said she had been staying at a hotel in Manizales when the earthquake struck.
She said cracks appeared in the walls as the building shook.
“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, who is from Manizales, was at home when the earthquake struck. His home was about 150km from the epicentre.
He said that, because of previous earthquakes, Manizales has “very strict seismic-resistant building regulations”, which helped his building withstand the impact.
“I have 450 books and only a few were left standing on the shelves. You could hear glass breaking and people screaming,” he told BBC Mundo.
“It was a terrible and terrifying experience.”
Airports and Infrastructure Damaged
Colombia’s aviation authority reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.
In the capital, Bogotá, trees and traffic lights shook violently. There were also reports of cracks appearing in some buildings, although no serious damage to the city’s infrastructure has been confirmed.
Tremors were felt as far away as neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
The earthquake comes less than two months after twin earthquakes devastated northern Venezuela, killing more than 6,300 people.
Government Declares National Disaster
Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster situation, giving the government special powers to respond to the emergency, including the ability to reallocate public funds.
Having taken office only on Friday, the new president is now facing a potentially defining crisis at the beginning of his term.
He confirmed that more than 1,500 homes had been damaged in the earthquake.
As the scale of the destruction became clearer, world leaders offered support to Colombia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was “closely monitoring” the situation and was “ready to support” Colombia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to assist rescue operations.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and offered personnel and equipment to support rescue efforts.
According to the US Geological Survey, an estimated 1.5 million people experienced shaking close to magnitude 7.
The agency said deep earthquakes, such as Monday’s event, are generally less dangerous than earthquakes that occur closer to the Earth’s surface.
However, deep earthquakes can still release enormous amounts of energy and cause significant damage to buildings. They may also produce fewer, but potentially stronger, aftershocks.