A 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia claimed the lives of 111 people
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday morning has killed 111 people. Another 87 people were injured, according to the country’s president, Abelardo de la Esprieylla.
According to him, the earthquake damaged 1,575 residential buildings, 37 of which were completely destroyed. In addition, 61 buildings collapsed, and 18 medical facilities and 52 schools were damaged. The president declared a nationwide state of emergency and stated that the primary task of rescue workers is to search for people who may still be trapped under the rubble.
Among the cities that suffered significant damage are Cali, Pereira, and Manizales. Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder reported at least 20 collapsed structures, some of which may have had people inside. Authorities in Valle del Cauca, whose administrative center is Cali, reported at least 27 fatalities. In Risaralda, 40 people died, including at least 18 in Pereira.
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The governor of the Chocó-Nubia region, Carolina Córdoba-Curí, reported four deaths and 69 injuries. In Manizales, according to Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas, two people were killed. Colombian aviation authorities reported damage at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartagena, Buenaventura, and Cali; flights there have been suspended to assess the condition of the infrastructure.
According to Deutsche Welle English, the earthquake’s epicenter was located near the eastern border of the Chocó region, south of the Tatama Nature Reserve. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at a depth of about 107 kilometers, and less than an hour after the main quake, a 5.0-magnitude aftershock occurred. The tremors were also felt in Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
