Agadir – At least 132 people have died, and more than 570 have been injured after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, prompting authorities to declare a national disaster as rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time at a depth of about 103 kilometers, with the epicenter located near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The powerful tremor was felt across a large area of Colombia, including the coffee-growing region, as well as in neighboring Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.
The hardest-hit areas included Pereira, Cali, Manizales, Armenia, Quibdó, and parts of the Chocó and Valle del Cauca departments.
In Pereira, about 55 kilometers from the epicenter, several buildings collapsed, while local authorities reported dozens of deaths and people trapped beneath the rubble.
Authorities reported extensive damage in Cali, where several buildings collapsed, while emergency services worked to assess damage and assist affected residents.
The earthquake caused significant damage to infrastructure, including regional airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster situation and granted the government additional powers to respond to the emergency, including reallocating public funds. The president, who took office only days before the earthquake, said more than 1,500 homes had been damaged.
“Immediate economic resources and humanitarian aid have already been allocated to support the more than 1,400 affected families and individuals,” la Espriella stated today.
Rescue operations continued as authorities assessed the scale of the destruction and searched collapsed structures for survivors.
International governments and organizations have offered assistance to Colombia.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was closely monitoring the situation and was prepared to provide support, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU’s Copernicus satellite system was being used to support rescue operations.
“The Trump Administration is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia and President la Espriella’s Administration,” Rubio said on Monday.
