BOGOTÁ — A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, causing extensive structural damage, triggering widespread evacuations, and leaving dozens of people dead across multiple municipalities.
Emergency crews and urban search-and-rescue teams are picking through the rubble of collapsed residential and commercial structures as local officials warn the death toll is expected to rise.
Epicenter and Regional Impact
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Colombian Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time at an intermediate depth of roughly 107 kilometers (66 miles).
The epicenter was recorded 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of San José del Palmar, a rural municipality in the Chocó department along Colombia’s Pacific coast. Shaking was felt as far away as the capital, Bogotá, roughly 250 miles to the east, as well as in neighboring Ecuador and Panama.
Epicenter: San José del Palmar (Chocó)
Depth: ~107 km (66 miles) | Time: 07:34 Local (12:34 UTC)
│
├── Valle del Cauca (Incl. Cali): Multiple building collapses
├── Risaralda (Pereira): Severe damage, airport suspended
└── Caldas (Manizales): Structural failures, gas leaks
Immediate Casualties and Destruction
Regional disaster authorities and municipal leaders have confirmed severe casualties and structural losses across several key urban centers in western Colombia:
- Valle del Cauca Department: Local officials reported heavy casualties in the region, including in Cali—Colombia’s third-largest city—where Mayor Alejandro Eder confirmed that at least 20 structures collapsed, trapping an unknown number of residents beneath debris.
- Pereira (Risaralda): Municipal authorities reported significant fatalities and widespread structural failures. Portions of the ceiling at Matecaña International Airport collapsed during the shaking, leading air traffic officials to suspend operations across affected regional terminals.
- Manizales (Caldas): Municipal emergency management reported fatalities, multiple collapsed buildings, and widespread natural gas leaks. A spire of the historic Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary collapsed during the tremor.
- Chocó Department: Regional Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi confirmed widespread injuries and damage across the epicenter’s home department, particularly in the capital, Quibdó.
| Impact Category | Reported Status |
| Confirmed Deaths | Dozens confirmed across Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, Caldas, and Chocó |
| Infrastructure | Dozens of buildings collapsed; airport operations suspended in 6 regional hubs |
| Secondary Hazards | Gas leaks reported in urban zones; no tsunami threat issued |
Emergency Response and Government Action
Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella announced the immediate establishment of a Unified Command Post (PMU) to streamline search, rescue, and medical triage operations across the affected departments. Government response teams, alongside military units and civil defense workers, have been deployed to San José del Palmar and surrounding urban centers.
International offers of aid have begun pouring in, with search-and-rescue assistance offered by neighboring governments and international disaster management organizations as local emergency personnel continue working to clear debris and reach survivors trapped in collapsed buildings.
Picture for illustration purposes only…
