7.4-magnitude quake kills 82 in Colombia, traps dozens in rubble
The powerful earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar, collapsing buildings in cities including Pereira and Cali, and suspending flights at seven airports.
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Colombia’s presidential office reports the death toll has risen to at least 50, including three children in Valle del Cauca.
Story published. The powerful earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar, collapsing buildings in cities including Pereira and Cali, and suspending flights at seven airports.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 82 people, injuring many more, and causing widespread structural damage across multiple cities. The quake’s epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar in the sparsely populated Chocó province on the Pacific Coast, at a depth of 96 km (60 miles), according to the US Geological Survey.
The highest death toll was reported in Pereira, a city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where 18 people died. Three fatalities were confirmed in Manizales, while one person was killed in Buenaventura, Colombia’s main Pacific port, after a building collapsed. Dozens of structures also collapsed in Cali, one of Colombia’s largest cities, trapping an unknown number of people. Mayor Alejandro Eder said rescue teams had pulled two survivors from the rubble—an elderly woman and a young girl—but warned that at least 12 critical sites and 25 collapsed buildings were still being searched.
The earthquake was felt across Colombia, shaking buildings in nine departments and all 32 departmental capitals. It also rattled neighboring countries, including Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Colombia’s civil aviation authority suspended flights at seven airports—Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, Cali, and Buenaventura—while inspectors assessed structural damage. The US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no tsunami threat.
Chocó Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi reported injuries and significant damage in Quibdó, the provincial capital, and urged residents to prepare for aftershocks. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he was convening a unified command post in Bogotá to coordinate emergency response efforts, particularly in the hard-hit Coffee-Growers’ Axis region. The US State Department said it was closely monitoring the situation and stood ready to assist Colombia.
Rescue efforts intensify In Cali, at least 20 buildings collapsed, with rescue teams focusing on a site where 15 people were believed trapped. Mayor Eder said additional disaster response teams from Bogotá and Medellín were being deployed to support local efforts. No major damage was reported in the capital, Bogotá, though evacuations were widespread.
Regional impact The quake’s tremors were felt as far north as Panama, prompting building evacuations in Quito, Ecuador. Colombia’s geological service initially recorded the quake at a magnitude of 6.6, but the USGS later revised it to 7.4. Authorities warned that aftershocks could continue in the coming days, complicating rescue operations and recovery efforts.
