Bogota: More than 110 people were killed after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, damaging hundreds of buildings and leaving several people feared trapped under the rubble.
The tremors were also felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama. Several cities in western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo, Cali and Manizales, reported significant damage following the quake.
Rescue teams, assisted by local residents, launched search operations amid the debris to locate survivors. Families of those missing or killed gathered at rescue sites, anxiously awaiting information about their loved ones.
At least 40 people were reported dead in Risaralda, 27 in Valle del Cauca, nine in Choco and two in Caldas. A 73-year-old man was also reported to have died in Antioquia.
The epicentre of the earthquake was located off Colombia’s Pacific coast, in the seismically active region associated with the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.
With the scale of destruction becoming apparent, the Colombian government declared an emergency and moved to release funds for relief and rescue operations. Authorities have stepped up efforts to assess the damage and provide assistance to affected communities.
