Quake Kills 111 in Colombia, Leaves Cities in Ruins
At least 111 people have died and 87 others have been injured after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, collapsing buildings and leaving rescue teams searching through debris for survivors.
The earthquake struck at about 7:34am local time on Monday, with its epicentre in the western department of Chocó, according to geological authorities in Colombia and the United States.
The tremor was strong enough to be felt in neighbouring Venezuela.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national state of emergency as the scale of the destruction became clearer.
“The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is needed,” he said.
He said rescuing people trapped beneath collapsed buildings was the government’s immediate priority.
Pereira was among the hardest-hit cities, with authorities reporting 40 deaths. Mayor Mauricio Salazar said 65 buildings had collapsed, with victims believed to be trapped in at least 15 of them.
Five hospitals in the city were reportedly overwhelmed by injured residents.
Cali also suffered extensive damage. Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings had collapsed and some people were trapped inside.
He urged residents to leave buildings showing serious signs of structural damage.
“If you do not feel safe, if you see very large cracks, please leave the building,” he said.
Manizales recorded at least two deaths, while its mayor, Jorge Eduardo Rojas Giraldo, said 12 buildings and 20 homes had been partially or completely destroyed.
He warned residents against returning to damaged structures because of the risk of aftershocks.
“Do not go back into the buildings yet. I know this isn’t easy but stay outside for a little while at least because there could be an aftershock,” he said.
The destruction was captured in videos shared on social media. In Cali, residents and rescuers were seen searching through the remains of a collapsed four-storey hotel.
Another video showed part of San José church in Pereira giving way as palm trees shook around it.
Manizales also witnessed building collapses, with residents rushing away from structures as they came down.
Raúl Andrés Buitrago, a worker in Pereira, said he was preparing to leave for work when an earthquake alert sounded on his watch.
“There are often little tremors here,” he said. “But I’d never felt an earthquake like this. It started softly, softly, softly, then it felt like it was getting stronger every second.”
He described the scenes that followed as terrifying.
“The roofs started to fall in. The buildings collapsed in on themselves. The panic was terrible. They were the four longest minutes of my life,” he said.
The department of Chocó, where the earthquake was centred, also reported injuries and severe damage. Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba said buildings had been badly affected in Quibdó, the departmental capital.
President de la Espriella visited Quibdó before travelling to Cali as government agencies intensified relief operations. His administration also promised rent subsidies for people whose homes were destroyed.
Authorities introduced curfews in Cali, Armenia and Manizales amid concerns about looting. Police and military personnel were deployed to affected areas, while the president promised an additional 1,000 security personnel for Cali.
The earthquake also disrupted air travel. Aviation authorities reported damage at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Cartago, Armenia and Buenaventura.
Emergency crews continued to assess damaged structures and search for survivors, while officials urged residents to remain outside unsafe buildings and stay alert for possible aftershocks.
The disaster comes less than two months after neighbouring Venezuela was hit by two major earthquakes on 24 June. More than 6,000 people were reported killed in that disaster.
The United States has pledged emergency assistance to Colombia, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio announcing that the Trump administration would provide $15.5 million in aid to support relief efforts.
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