Colombia records its strongest earthquake in a decade, geological service says

On Monday, western and central Colombia experienced a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, marking the strongest tremor to hit the nation in the past ten years, according to the Colombian Geological Service (SGC). The epicenter of the quake was situated approximately five kilometers east of San José del Palmar, in the Chocó department, around 240 kilometers west of Bogotá.

Initially reported as magnitudes 6.6 and 6.7, the SGC later upgraded the quake's intensity to 7.4, based on a deeper focus at more than 80 kilometers depth. The earthquake triggered evacuations in several cities, including Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Popayán, Manizales, Armenia, and Pereira, as well as in Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Several airports, including Matecaña international airport in Pereira, suffered structural damage, leading to the suspension of air operations until a thorough assessment could be conducted. In Manizales, one of the cathedral towers was severely damaged, leaning precariously against the main body of the church. The National Disaster Risk Management Unit dismissed concerns about a tsunami along the Pacific coast, while injuries were reported in Quibdó and Pereira airport.

President Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office on Friday, directed the formation of a unified command center to coordinate the response and pledged state support. He also sought a comprehensive report from the head of the national disaster risk management unit. Colombia, situated at the convergence of three tectonic plates, experiences an average of 50,000 earthquakes monthly, with most remaining undetectable by humans.

The country's most destructive earthquakes in recent history include the 1999 Armenia quake, with nearly 1,000 fatalities; the 1994 Páez quake, claiming around 800 lives; and the 1983 Popayán quake, resulting in 287 deaths.