A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, leaving several people dead and causing widespread damage, with buildings collapsing and residents trapped in several cities. The tremor was felt across Colombia, including the capital Bogota, as well as in neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador.
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At least 77 have been killed with toll expected to rise with some estimates saying it could rise cross 1,000. Risaralda province reported the highest toll, with 42 deaths, according to Governor Juan Diego Patino. In Pereira, buildings suffered major damage, while three people were killed in Manizales and one person died in Buenaventura after a building collapsed. In Cali, more than two dozen structures collapsed, with several people still trapped in the rubble, as reported by Reuters.
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The quake also disrupted air travel, with flights suspended at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura as authorities inspected the facilities for structural issues after damage was reported.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's geological service recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.4. Its epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province, at a depth of around 107 km (66 miles). The USGS warned that “Significant casualties and damage are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread.”
