Colombia: Dozens killed after large earthquake rocks region

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia early Monday, claiming the lives of at least 111 people and injuring 87 others, according to President Abelardo de la Espriella. The epicenter was located on the eastern tip of the Choco province on Colombia's Pacific coast, near the Tatama National Nature Reserve and roughly equidistant from Bogota, Medellin, and Cali.

Rescue teams were actively working to free trapped residents as buildings collapsed in Cali and other cities, with authorities reporting that over 1,500 homes were damaged, with 37 destroyed and 18 health centers and 52 schools sustaining damage. The Colombian government declared a national state of emergency in response to the disaster.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed solidarity with Colombia, pledging support for the affected population. The US Geological Survey recorded the quake as magnitude 7.4, though initial reports suggested a lower magnitude. The quake occurred at a depth of 107 kilometers below the Earth's surface, sending tremors across much of western Colombia and neighboring countries like Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.