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

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing at least 111 deaths and extensive damage to buildings. The quake, which had its epicenter in San Jose del Palmar, a community of 4,800 people in the Choco region, also affected neighboring Ecuador and Panama. Search teams and civilians combed through the rubble in Cali, the country's third-largest city, as buildings were left in ruins and others collapsed entirely.

At least 87 people were injured and around 1,600 buildings, including 61 that completely collapsed, were damaged. Colombia's President declared an emergency to expedite funding for the recovery efforts. The quake was the strongest recorded in Colombia in the 21st century and occurred in an area along the "Ring of Fire," a line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific, particularly the Choco region, is one of Colombia's poorest areas, making assessment of the wider toll challenging.