A 7.4-magnitude earthquake on the Richter Scale shakes Colombia, leaving injured people and severe damage in several cities

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale shook much of Colombia this Monday and caused material damage and several injuries, especially in the department of Chocó. The Colombian Geological Service (SGC) located the epicenter near San José del Palmar, while local authorities reported affected buildings in various cities in the center and west of the country.

The seismic movement occurred at 07ç.34 local time and was felt intensely in Bogotá, Cali, Popayán, Manizales, Armenia, Pereira and Medellín, among other cities. The SGC had initially reported a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale, but later raised the estimate to 7.4.

Damaged buildings in Cali, Manizales, and Pereira

In Cali and Manizales, facade collapses have been reported on several buildings. In Manizales, moreover, one of the cathedral’s towers has been damaged as a result of the strong tremor. The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, has stated that there are many cracked buildings, although at that time no victims had been reported in the city.

In Pereira, the capital of the department of Risaralda, significant damage has also occurred to various buildings. Among the affected infrastructure is the airport, while some properties have suffered partial collapses. In Bogotá, Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán has stated that, for the moment, no major structural damage has been recorded, although there are some cracks in buildings.

Injured people and collapsed buildings in Quibdó

‘The most worrying situation has been recorded in Quibdó, the capital of the department of Chocó and located relatively close to the epicenter. The governor of the department, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, has reported that several people were injured and there has been serious damage to buildings. “We have just gone through a serious seismic event in the department of Chocó. Although the epicenter was San José del Palmar, in the capital, Quibdó, there are injured people and serious damage to buildings,” she pointed out.’

The first images released after the earthquake show partially collapsed buildings and damage to different structures in the affected area. Emergency teams are working to assess the damage and assist those affected, while the count of possible victims and damaged infrastructure continues.