Colombia suffers magnitude 7.4 earthquake with multiple victims

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake has struck Colombia, resulting in at least 132 fatalities and over 570 injuries across the country. The seismic event caused widespread building collapses, overwhelmed hospital services, and led to the suspension of operations at several airports as search and rescue efforts continue.

Pereira, the capital of Risaralda department and one of the closest cities to the epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, has recorded the highest number of deaths with 60. This figure, provided by the Colombian Association of Capital Cities (Asocapitales), represents only the toll in capital cities and does not include casualties from surrounding towns and municipalities, which also reported significant damage to infrastructure.

Cities including Pereira, Cali, Quibdó, Manizales, and Armenia are among the most affected. President Abelardo de la Espriella, who assumed office just three days prior, declared a state of "national disaster" to mobilize resources and coordinate the emergency response. He established a Unified Command Post to oversee the relief efforts and visited Quibdó and Cali to assess the situation.

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Chocó has a special place in my heart because it has been an abandoned department.

The earthquake occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, at a depth of 103 kilometers, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The tremors were felt as far as Bogotá, Medellín, and in neighboring countries like Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.

In Pereira, where 60 deaths have been confirmed, emergency services are actively searching for survivors trapped in rubble. The city's mayor, Mauricio Salazar, imposed a curfew from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. to prevent looting. The Matecaña International Airport remains closed due to damage to its roof.

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The city's mayor, Mauricio Salazar, decreed a curfew from 6:00 p.m. local time (11:00 p.m. GMT) until 5:00 a.m. Tuesday (10:00 a.m. GMT) to 'protect the city's commerce' amid the risk of looting.