At least 132 people have died after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency as rescue teams search for people trapped under collapsed buildings.
More than 480 people have been injured, while authorities fear the death toll could increase as rescue operations continue.
The earthquake struck at 07:34 local time at a depth of 103 kilometres in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s geological service. The tremors were felt across hundreds of miles in western Colombia.
The epicentre was near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó, where local mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said that there had been no reported deaths or injuries despite damage to roads connecting the area.
The city of Pereira, around 55 kilometres from the epicentre, was among the worst-hit areas. Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths in the city’s metropolitan area, along with 65 collapsed buildings. People are believed to be trapped in 15 of the buildings.
Videos verified by an international media outlet showed a building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, Pereira’s main square, leaving debris and dust across the area.
A curfew has also been imposed in parts of Pereira until 05:00 local time on Tuesday.
In Cali, around 160 kilometres south of Pereira, 32 buildings collapsed. Deaths were also reported in Manizales, Quibdó and Medellín, as well as across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions.
At least two people were killed in Manizales.
Journalist and meteorologist Luis Felipe Molina was at home in Manizales when the earthquake struck. He said that the city has “very strict seismic-resistant building regulations” because of previous earthquakes, which helped his building withstand the tremor.
“I have 450 books and only a few were left standing on the shelves. You could hear glass breaking and people screaming,” he told an international media outlet.
“It was a terrible and terrifying experience.”
Colombia’s aviation authority also reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.
In Bogotá, trees and traffic lights shook during the earthquake. Authorities also received reports of cracks in buildings, but no major damage to the capital’s infrastructure had been reported.
The tremors were also felt in neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster situation, giving the government special powers to respond to the emergency, including reallocating budgets. He also said more than 1,500 homes had been damaged.
The earthquake came less than two months after two earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing more than 6,300 people.
Several countries have offered support to Colombia following the earthquake. The United States (US) Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the US was “closely monitoring” the situation and was “ready to support”, while EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU’s Copernicus satellite was being used in rescue efforts.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele also expressed solidarity with Colombia and offered personnel and equipment for the rescue operation.
The US Geological Survey estimated that around 1.5 million people experienced shaking close to magnitude seven.
According to the agency, deep earthquakes are generally less dangerous than those occurring closer to the surface, but they can still release energy capable of damaging buildings and may produce fewer but stronger aftershocks.
