20 buildings collapse, at least 2 dead, in Colombia earthquake
<p>At least two people have died and 20 buildings have collapsed in a powerful earthquake in the country of Colombia. Many people remain trapped under the debris.</p>
A significant earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 hit western Colombia on Monday, resulting in substantial building damage and an unspecified number of casualties. The tremor's origin point was the town of San José del Palmar, home to approximately 4,800 residents in Colombia's Chocó region, situated about 250 miles west of the country's capital, Bogotá.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's equivalent agency confirmed the quake's details. An aftershock of 5.0 magnitude occurred under an hour after the initial earthquake. The seismic event triggered evacuations extending to Bogotá, the nation's capital. Witnesses claimed they felt the shaking from the capital to Barranquilla's coast and in Ecuador, to the south.
Chocó province Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi reported injuries and extensive structural damage in Quibdó, a city of about 130,000 people, stating that they are currently evaluating the extent of the harm. In Cali, a city of 2 million inhabitants, Mayor Alejandro Eder disclosed that residents were trapped in at least 19 buildings that had collapsed.
No reports of structural damage were made in Bogotá, Mayor Carlos F. Galán confirmed. Visuals shared by local news outlets depicted homes and small structures collapsing in Pereira, Cali, and Quibdó. In Manizales, a city situated about 190 miles west of Bogotá, one of the neo-Gothic cathedral's towers collapsed onto the nave.
President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on social media that he is spearheading the emergency response and plans to visit the affected region. The Colombian quake follows a series of two consecutive powerful quakes in neighboring Venezuela in late June, each measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, leading to extensive destruction and over 5,000 deaths.
The region where Monday's earthquake occurred, Colombia's coffee region, was previously hit by a catastrophic earthquake in 1999 that claimed over 1,200 lives. This is an ongoing situation, and updates will be provided as they become available.
Written by urgent.news from CBS News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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