A 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocks Colombia and Ecuador, prompting people to evacuate buildings

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings. The epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, a community about 250 miles west of Colombia's capital, Bogota. According to the Colombian Geological Service, the quake struck at a depth of 79 km.

The earthquake caused injuries and serious damage to buildings in several cities, including Cali, Manizales, and Pereira. In Manizales, a tower of the cathedral collapsed, and in Quibdo, the capital of Choco province, a four-story building reportedly collapsed. The earthquake was also felt strongly in Bogota and Medellin.

There is no tsunami threat, according to Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said he had taken charge of the emergency response in San Jose del Palmar and would also be in Pereira to monitor the government's response. The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Ecuador. Israel's Foreign Minister offered assistance to Colombia in the aftermath of the quake.

Brief written by urgent.news from PBS NewsHour, Jerusalem Post, Colombia Reports, Associated Press, CNBC — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.