Major earthquake claims 111 lives in Colombia

A devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia early Monday, claiming at least 111 lives and injuring 87 others. The powerful tremor, centered in the coastal Choco region at a depth of 100 kilometers, hit at 7:34 a.m., triggering a desperate search for survivors in multiple cities. The disaster thrusts the nation's newly appointed administration into its first major crisis, prompting President Abelardo de la Espriella to declare a state of emergency.

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The national government is maintaining all its capacities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid to every area that needs it.

The city of Pereira was among the hardest-hit areas, with local authorities reporting at least 40 deaths in the Risaralda region. In Manizales, the quake toppled a tower of a historic cathedral, and administrative worker Jaime Zuluaga described widespread damage, noting, "A great many buildings" sustained damage and that "Traffic is paralysed and people don’t want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock."

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A great many buildings” in the city sustained damage.

In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, at least 20 buildings collapsed, trapping people beneath the rubble, according to Mayor Alejandro Eder. The governor of Choco warned of severe damage in the provincial capital, Quibdo, where videos depicted buildings reduced to piles of debris. "At this moment there are reported deaths, dozens of wounded, but what there is most of is missing people," said Quibdo community leader Luis Gregorio Moreno, conveying the devastation.

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Traffic is paralysed and people don’t want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock.

The earthquake's impact was felt in neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. In Colombia's capital, Bogota, the tremor caused building evacuations, with residents rushing into the streets. While minimal damage was recorded in Bogota, six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations. International aid offers have begun to pour in, with the United States, the European Union, Israel, Mexico, Ecuador, and France expressing readiness to support Colombia's rescue and recovery efforts.

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At least 20 buildings crumbled in Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali, trapping people beneath the debris.