At least 77 killed after powerful earthquake hits western Colombia
At least 77 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia early on Monday, knocking down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble. The quake struck just days after Abelardo De La Espriella was sworn in as president, thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis, with memories still fresh of devastating twin earthquakes in…
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia early on Monday, resulting in at least 77 deaths and widespread damage across several cities. The quake, which occurred near San Jose del Palmar in the Choco province, was felt as far away as Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Colombian officials stated they did not anticipate a tsunami following the early-morning disaster.
The highest death toll was reported in the Risaralda province, with 42 fatalities. In the capital city of Pereira, 18 people lost their lives, while three were killed in Manizales. The quake left many residents and emergency personnel trapped in the rubble of partially collapsed buildings. At least 20 buildings collapsed in Cali, the country's third-largest city, and the city requested assistance from Bogota and Medellin.
The Colombian government did not initially issue a magnitude estimate, later confirming it at 7.4, while the US Geological Survey initially reported 6.6.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
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