At least 111 dead after 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Colombia
- A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia near San Jose del Palmar at a depth of 107 kilometers Monday, killing at least 111 people, injuring 87 others, and leaving numerous residents trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
- Newly sworn-in President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national state of emergency during his first major crisis, prioritizing search-and-rescue operations and deploying national resources to assist affected communities.
- The highest concentration of casualties was reported in the western province of Risaralda, while residents in major cities such as Cali formed human chains to help dig trapped neighbors out of collapsed structures.
- Colombia’s civil aviation authority temporarily suspended flight operations across several regional airports, including Pereira, Manizales, and Buenaventura, to inspect facilities for structural damage.
- Seismologists highlighted that although the deep epicenter theoretically reduces surface shaking, the quake’s high magnitude combined with soft river valley soils produced unexpectedly severe destruction.
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