Colombia earthquake: magnitude 7.4 quake near San José del Palmar kills at least 18

Earthquake strikes western Colombia

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday at 7:34 local time (12:34 GMT), with the epicenter near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó. The Colombian Geological Service initially reported the quake at magnitude 6.7 at a depth of 82 km, later updating to 7.4 at a depth of 96 km. The US Geological Survey also reported 7.4. San José del Palmar is a municipality of approximately 4,700 people, located about 400 km west of Bogotá. USGS issued no tsunami warning. The quake was felt with strong intensity across much of the country. The depth of the event, approximately 100 km, contributed to tremors being perceived at a distance from the epicenter.

Casualties and damage

Casualty reports varied as assessments continued. The mayor of Pereira reported at least 18 dead. An initial assessment cited at least one dead, dozens injured, and six missing. The governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba Curí, stated that in Quibdó, the departmental capital, there were injuries and serious damage to buildings, without specifying numbers.

There are injured people and serious damage to buildings.

The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, reported that more than 20 buildings had collapsed in the city, with people trapped inside. Impacts in Cali were being monitored with drones. Images shared on social media showed collapsed structures in Pereira, including damage to the airport roof. In Manizales, a city 300 km from Bogotá, one of the towers of a cathedral tilted. The mayor of Bogotá reported no damage in the capital, and no casualties were reported in Medellín. Authorities were conducting initial assessments in the most affected areas and did not rule out further consequences emerging in the coming hours.

Airport disruptions

Colombia's civil aviation authority announced that six airports in western Colombia suspended operations due to earthquake damage. The affected airports are in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura, located in the coffee region and the department of Chocó. The authority stated on X that operations remain suspended as a safety measure until structural assessments of the infrastructure are completed.

Government response

President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on X that he had assumed leadership of the emergency response and ordered the installation of a Unified Command Post, which brings together institutions to coordinate decisions on aid for those affected. He announced he will travel to Pereira, one of the most affected cities. Governor Córdoba warned of possible aftershocks. Authorities urged the population to remain calm and follow instructions from emergency organizations. The national disaster management service was in contact with regional governments to coordinate emergency aid.

Regional impact

The earthquake was felt with intensity in cities across Colombia, including Bogotá, Cali, and Manizales. Residents evacuated buildings, some in their pajamas. The tremors were also felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama, where several buildings and public offices were evacuated. People near the Venezuelan border also reported feeling the quake.

Context

The earthquake comes weeks after a double earthquake of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck neighboring Venezuela on June 24, killing more than 6,000 people. Those quakes occurred at a much shallower depth of approximately 10 km, which generally causes more damage. The Chocó region is one of the areas of Colombia most exposed to seismic risk due to significant tectonic activity.