Colombia has declared a state of emergency after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed at least 111 people, injured 87 and damaged more than 1,000 buildings.
The earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 am local time on Monday, triggering frantic rescue operations as emergency teams searched for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was appointed just three days earlier, said the government had deployed all available resources to protect lives and assist affected communities.
“The national government is maintaining all its capacities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid to every area that needs it,” he said from Bogota.
The earthquake’s epicentre was in the coastal Chocó region, at a depth of about 100 kilometres. Authorities in the impoverished region reported 12 deaths.
Pereira, in the Risaralda region, was among the worst-hit areas, with local authorities reporting at least 40 deaths.
In nearby Manizales, the earthquake caused part of a cathedral tower to collapse, while numerous other buildings were damaged.
“A great many buildings” in the city sustained damage, administrative worker Jaime Zuluaga, 50, told AFP.
“Traffic is paralysed, and people don’t want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock,” he said.
Rescue teams search for missing people
Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, was also badly affected, with at least 20 buildings collapsing and people reportedly trapped beneath the rubble, Mayor Alejandro Eder said.
In Quibdo, the capital of Chocó, videos showed buildings reduced to rubble as authorities warned of serious damage.
“We are all devastated,” Quibdo community leader Luis Gregorio Moreno told AFP.
“At this moment there are reported deaths and dozens of wounded, but what there are most of are missing people,” he said.
The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. In Bogota, residents rushed into the streets in their pyjamas after feeling the powerful tremor, while buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
“The quake was very, very strong,” said content creator Valeria Polo, 29, although only minimal damage was reported in the capital.
Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, according to the civil aeronautics agency, while the country’s football governing body postponed upcoming matches.
International support offered
The United States said it was closely monitoring the situation and was prepared to assist Colombia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X that Washington was “closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also offered support, saying the European Union had already mobilised its Copernicus satellite service to assist rescue operations.
Israel, Mexico, Ecuador and France also offered assistance.
The latest disaster comes as Latin America continues to deal with the aftermath of two major earthquakes that struck Venezuela in June, killing more than 6,000 people and causing widespread destruction.
