Earthquake in Colombia Injures People, Collapses Buildings in Quibdó

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, leaving several people injured and buildings in ruins in Quibdó, the capital of the Chocó department. The tremor, which occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time, originated near San José del Palmar in Chocó, with its epicenter located 82 kilometers deep, according to the Colombian Geological Service.

Images circulating on social media depicted widespread destruction in Quibdó, with structures collapsing partially or entirely and residents fleeing in panic. The governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, confirmed the seismic event and stated that damage assessments were underway for an official report. The earthquake also caused significant damage in other cities in western and central Colombia, including Cali, Manizales, Pereira, and Medellín, which are closer to the epicenter.

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We have just experienced a serious seismic event in the department of Chocó. Although the epicenter was San José del Palmar, in the capital Quibdó there are injured people and serious damage to buildings.

The Chocó region, one of Colombia's poorest departments, faces a critical challenge in responding to this disaster due to its limited resources. The scale of the damage and the region's capacity to manage the emergency remain significant concerns.

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doing the evaluation of damages to issue the first official report