Rescuers search rubble in Cali as Colombia’s strongest quake in decades hits

Rescuers are searching for survivors in the rubble of buildings damaged by a powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia. The 7.4-magnitude quake, the strongest recorded in Colombia this century, killed at least 111 people, according to President Abelardo De La Espriella, and injured hundreds more. The earthquake damaged about 1,600 buildings, including at least 61 that completely collapsed, and was felt across western Colombia, including Cali, Pereira, Quibdo, and Manizales, as well as neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.

The quake struck just days after De La Espriella was sworn in as president, thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis. The president declared a national state of emergency and deployed the government's capabilities to protect lives, assist affected communities, and deliver aid. He visited Quibdo and Cali, promising rent subsidies for those who have lost homes.

The death toll reported by different sources varies, with RTE News citing at least 164 people killed, while Euronews reported over 130 people killed. The US Geological Survey said the epicentre of the quake was in San Jose del Palmar in the Choco region, about 400 kilometres west of Bogota.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews, RTE News, The Vibes, The Jakarta Post, SABC News — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.