By Desmond Nleya
At least 132 people have been killed and more than 570 injured after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, triggering a national disaster declaration and leaving hundreds of buildings damaged or destroyed.
The earthquake struck at 07:34 local time on Monday at a depth of about 103km, with the epicentre near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s geological service.
The powerful tremor was felt across a vast area of western Colombia, as well as in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
The city of Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, was among the worst affected. Authorities reported at least 67 deaths in the city’s metropolitan area, while 65 buildings collapsed. Rescue teams believe people may still be trapped inside 15 of the damaged structures.
Dramatic footage showed a building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, Pereira’s main square, sending dust and debris across the area.
The nearby city of Cali also suffered significant damage, with 32 buildings reported to have collapsed.
Other deaths and injuries were reported in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín and parts of the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions. At least two people were confirmed dead in Manizales.
Residents described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently, walls cracked and debris fell into streets.
In Manizales, journalist and meteorologist Luis Felipe Molina said the earthquake caused books to fall from his shelves and glass to shatter throughout his home.
The country’s aviation authorities also reported damage at several regional airports, including those serving Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.
In Bogotá, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre, trees and traffic lights shook violently. Some buildings developed cracks, although no major damage to the capital’s infrastructure was immediately reported.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, who had only taken office on Friday, declared a national disaster situation, giving the government additional powers to respond to the emergency and redirect funds towards rescue and recovery operations.
The president said more than 1,500 homes had been damaged, while emergency services continued searching collapsed buildings for survivors.
International support has also begun to emerge. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and was prepared to assist. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to support rescue operations.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also offered personnel and equipment to assist Colombia’s emergency response.
The US Geological Survey estimated that around 1.5 million people experienced shaking close to magnitude seven.
Experts say the earthquake’s considerable depth may have reduced some of its impact compared with a shallower earthquake, although deep quakes can still release significant energy and cause severe damage to buildings.
Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers gain access to damaged and collapsed structures.
