At least 132 people have died and a national disaster situation has been declared after a powerful earthquake struck Colombia, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue teams search collapsed buildings.
The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck at 07:34 local time at a depth of 103km in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s geological service. The tremor was felt across a vast area of western Colombia.
More than 480 people were injured, Colombia’s Association of Capital Cities said in an update on Monday.
Pereira among worst-hit cities
Many of the deaths have been reported in Pereira, in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, while surrounding cities and the Valle del Cauca region were also badly affected.
The epicentre was near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó province. Local mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said there had been no deaths or injuries there, despite damage to roads connecting the village with surrounding areas.
Around 55km from the epicentre, Pereira suffered some of the worst damage.
Videos verified by the BBC showed at least one building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, the city’s main square, with debris and dust spreading across the area.
Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths in Pereira’s metropolitan area, with 65 buildings collapsing. People are believed to be trapped inside 15 of them.
A curfew has been imposed in parts of the city until 05:00 local time on Tuesday.
Buildings collapse in Cali
Thirty-two buildings collapsed in Cali, around 160km south of Pereira and approximately 200km from the epicentre.
British tourist Dan Cutler, 29, was in Cali when the earthquake struck.
“I’ve never experienced anything like it,” he told the BBC.
He said he and his partner ran outside in their pyjamas. Their hotel suffered surface cracks, while paint and plaster peeled from the walls, but there was no major structural damage.
Deaths were also reported in Manizales, Quibdó and Medellín, as well as across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions.
At least two people died in Manizales.
Angélica Ávila, who was staying at a hotel in the city, said cracks appeared in the walls as the earthquake struck.
“Everyone was screaming,” she told BBC World Service, describing dust coming from neighbouring buildings and bricks falling from walls.
Tremors felt across the region
Journalist and meteorologist Luis Felipe Molina was at home in Manizales, around 150km from the epicentre, when the earthquake struck.
He said the city has strict seismic-resistant building regulations because of previous earthquakes, helping his building withstand the impact.
Colombia’s aviation authority reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.
In Bogotá, trees and traffic lights shook violently. Cracks were reported in some buildings, but there were no reports of serious damage to the capital’s infrastructure.
Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
National disaster declared
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster situation, giving the government special powers to respond to the emergency, including the ability to reallocate budgets.
The president, who took office on Friday, said more than 1,500 homes had been damaged.
International leaders offered support as the scale of the destruction emerged.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was “closely monitoring” the earthquake and was “ready to support” Colombia.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to support rescue operations.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and offered personnel and equipment for rescue efforts.
According to the US Geological Survey, an estimated 1.5 million people experienced shaking close to magnitude seven.
The USGS said deep earthquakes such as Monday’s are generally less dangerous than those that rupture closer to the Earth’s surface. However, they can still release energy capable of damaging buildings and may produce fewer but potentially stronger aftershocks.
Also read: Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Colombia
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