Colombia Earthquake: 7.4-Magnitude Quake Kills At Least 132, Leaves 570 Injured

At least 132 people have died and 570 have been injured following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia on Monday (local time), CNN reported, citing the Colombian Association of Capital Cities. The association, which participated in a disaster response meeting with the President, said the city of Pereira alone has reported 60 deaths.

The epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, in an underdeveloped area of western Colombia, about 150 miles west of Bogotá. People in the capital felt tremors and evacuated to the streets, with alarms blaring.

Several Areas Report Damage

Coombian President Abelardo De La Espriella said that in Cali and Valle del Cauca, the government’s priority remains to stand with the affected families and missing people. He further said that in Choco, immediate economic resources and humanitarian aid have already been allocated to support the more than 1,400 affected families and individuals.

The injured and those requiring priority medical attention are being transferred to Medellín with all available hospital capacity. Additionally, temporary rental subsidies will be implemented for families whose homes were damaged.

The impact of the earthquake is being felt across the region, including Ecuador and Venezuela, which was recently hit by a high-impact earthquake.

Buildings collapsed after the earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar, causing injuries and damage in Quibdo, as well as evacuations across nine departments. Residents in Cali were searching through the rubble.

Rescue Operations Underway

According to the association, five capital cities across the country are under a red alert. It added that 86 buildings have collapsed and operations at seven airports have been suspended, CNN reported.

Governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi, said that 13 people are reported dead in Choco. Although the epicenter was in San José del Palmar, in the capital Quibdó there are injuries and severe damage to buildings and she raised a question about the possibility of aftershocks.

Among the collapsed structures were the pediatric and neonatal sections of a hospital in Cali, as per CNN, and the government has declared a national disaster and deployed soldiers to the area. Pereira municipality recorded the highest fatalities and a building collapsed in the city’s Bolivar Plaza.

Meanwhile, the US’ department of State committed $15 million in funding for emergency shelter, food, protection, and earthquake assessments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “The Trump Administration is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia”.

The US Embassy in Bogota issued advisory and asked the citizens to exercise caution regarding falling debris and unstable structures and activated helpline numbers for assistance.