Naturkatastrophe: Schweres Erdbeben erschüttert Kolumbien

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing numerous buildings to collapse. Reports indicate that at least 20 structures in Cali, the major city, fell down, trapping people inside. The tremors were felt in the capital Bogota and neighboring Venezuela, but the US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no threat of a tsunami.

In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that at least 20 buildings had collapsed, with people reportedly trapped inside. Rescue teams from Bogota and Medellin were requested to assist in the recovery efforts. Serious damage was also reported in other regions, with the Choco province on the Pacific coast, near the epicenter near San Jose del Palmar, being particularly affected.

Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi reported injuries and significant building damage in the provincial capital Quibdo via the messaging platform X. In Pereira, the capital of the neighboring Risaralda province, buildings' facades collapsed and people were injured, according to Governor Juan Diego Patino to local radio station Blu Radio.

The earthquake occurred at 7:34 AM local time. Colombia's geological service, UNGRD, later corrected the earthquake's strength to 7.4, initially reporting it as 6.6. The earthquake's source was 96 kilometers deep. In Bogota, Mayor Carlos Galan reported no major damage, while UNGRD coordinated with on-site locations to assess the extent of the destruction.

Witnesses told Reuters that the earthquake was also felt in the Venezuelan border state of Tachira and the city of Barquisimeto in western Venezuela. Venezuela experienced two devastating earthquakes in June, resulting in over 6,000 deaths, most of them along the coastal areas near the capital Caracas.