Part of Manizales Cathedral collapses after earthquake in Colombia

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó. The tremor caused significant damage across the country, particularly in Manizales, which experienced severe material losses.

The Cathedral Basilica of Manizales was heavily impacted, with videos circulating on social media showing a side tower collapsing and the rest of the structure sustaining multiple cracks. Images from inside the cathedral depicted religious artifacts swaying due to the intense shaking. A religious figure also detached from the facade and fell.

This event has brought back memories of the cathedral's vulnerability. Its history includes a first chapel in 1850 and subsequent constructions, with a formal wooden cathedral built in 1888 that was destroyed by fires in 1925 and 1926. The current Gothic structure was conceived after a public competition in 1928.

Beyond the cathedral, the earthquake damaged government buildings, the Palace of Justice, and numerous homes in the Historic Center. A building on Avenida Santander collapsed. Authorities reported at least 73 deaths and numerous injuries, with over 20 buildings reportedly collapsing and people trapped in the debris. The earthquake was felt in several cities, including Bogotá, prompting evacuations.

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The earthquake on Monday was the strongest the country has experienced in decades, at least since 1979.