At least 25 people dead as magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits Colombia

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck central and western Colombia on Monday morning, resulting in at least 25 reported fatalities. The tremors began at 7:34 am local time and persisted for four minutes, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The epicenter was situated in the western municipality of San José del Palmar, a rural and mountainous area in the Chocó department.

The earthquake was felt in neighboring Panama and Ecuador, making it the strongest quake in Colombia in the past decade. This event follows two consecutive earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela, which have claimed over 6,000 lives. Authorities in Manizales, Pereira, and Buenaventura have reported casualties, and damage has been observed in Cali and Armenia.

With a combined population of over 3.5 million, cities such as Cali, Pereira, Armenia, and Manizales are likely to experience further increases in death toll. Newly inaugurated Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the establishment of a Unified Command Center to coordinate the response efforts. He plans to visit Pereira, the town reported to have been most severely impacted, where communication issues have arisen.

In Cali, firefighters are assessing buildings for structural damage following collapsed roofing and other debris. Water, electricity, and gas services have reportedly been disrupted in the city. Colombia, located on three tectonic plates, experiences frequent seismic activity, averaging around 50,000 tremors each month, though most are too minor to be felt.

Notable earthquakes include a magnitude 6.2 quake in Armenia in 1999, which killed nearly 1,000 people, and a 1983 event in Popayán that resulted in 287 fatalities.