A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 20 people and triggering widespread building collapses and emergency evacuations, according to Reuters and Al Jazeera. The United States Geological Survey reported that the epicentre was located near the municipality of San Jose del Palmar in Colombia’s Choco region, at a depth of about 107 kilometers.
The violent tremors were felt across large parts of the country, as well as in neighboring Ecuador and parts of Venezuela, prompting panicked residents to flee homes and office blocks into the streets. Pereira Mayor Mauricio Salazar confirmed that 18 people died in the city, where several structures collapsed and trapped occupants. In Manizales, two additional fatalities were reported by Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas, according to broadcast statements covered by international media.
Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba stated on social media that significant structural damage and injuries occurred in the provincial capital of Quibdo. Local authorities and aviation officials reported that operations at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, and surrounding districts were temporarily suspended due to facility inspections and minor structural damages. Emergency response teams have been deployed to assess the scale of the devastation and search for survivors trapped under debris.
The disaster comes amid heightened regional seismic activity following major tremors in South America earlier this year. National disaster management units continue to coordinate rescue efforts while warning residents to remain alert for potential aftershocks across the affected coffee-growing and Andean zones.
