Strong earthquake causes significant damage and injuries in Colombia

A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake has struck Colombia's Pacific coast, causing significant damage and injuring an unspecified number of people. Nubia Carolina Córdoba, the governor of Chocó province, expressed concern about potential aftershocks following the seismic event.

The earthquake occurred at 07:34 local time, with its epicenter located 5 km east of the village of San José del Palmar. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake at a depth of 96 km (60 miles), while Colombia's geological service provided similar readings. The tremors were felt hundreds of kilometers away, reaching as far as the capital city, Bogotá, where several buildings were evacuated.

Footage shared by the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo from the city of Manizales, situated in the country's coffee region, depicted a collapsed building. Witnesses were heard shouting, expressing fears that individuals might be trapped beneath the rubble.

This earthquake follows two devastating quakes that struck neighboring Venezuela less than two months prior. Those events, which occurred in late June, devastated northern Venezuela, resulting in over 6,100 fatalities.

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There are injuries and serious damage to buildings.