Natural disaster: Severe earthquake shakes Colombia

Bogota. More than 110 people have died in the severe 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia, the authorities of the South American country announced on Monday. Other people are trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings. In the city of Pereira, west of the capital Bogotá, there were at least 18 dead and dozens injured. In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that at least 20 buildings had collapsed.

The city has requested rescue teams from Bogotá and Medellin to help with the recovery efforts. Severe damage was also reported from other regions. The province of Choco on the Pacific coast was particularly affected, where the epicenter was near the town of San Jose del Palmar. In the provincial capital Quibdo, there were injuries and significant damage to buildings, Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said on platform X. In the capital of the neighboring province of Risaralda, Pereira, facades had collapsed and people were injured, Governor Juan Diego Patino told local radio station Blu Radio.