A magnitude-7.4 earthquake [1] struck western Colombia on Monday, Aug. 10, 2024 [4], shaking the region near San José del Palmar.
The event highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in a seismically active region, where sudden tectonic shifts can disrupt international travel and cause significant loss of life.
Footage captured by a content creator named Gallego shows the interior of Pereira's Matecaña International Airport during the tremor [1]. The video records the terminal shaking violently as the quake hit the western part of the country [1].
Reports on the human toll vary across sources. Some reports indicate that dozens were killed [3], while other accounts state that at least 80 people died [2]. These discrepancies often occur in the immediate aftermath of major disasters as rescue teams reach different affected zones.
The earthquake was caused by a tectonic event that centered near San José del Palmar [5]. While the airport footage provides a glimpse of the impact on transportation hubs, other reports noted the collapse of buildings in the region [6].
Local authorities and emergency services have been working to assess the full extent of the damage. The intensity of the 7.4-magnitude quake [1] caused widespread alarm across the region, prompting immediate evacuations from public buildings, and transit centers.
“A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, Aug. 10, 2024.”
The variation in casualty reports—ranging from 'dozens' to 80 deaths—underscores the chaos typical of high-magnitude events in rural or mountainous terrain. The presence of such strong shaking at a major international airport suggests that the seismic energy was distributed widely, potentially impacting structural integrity across the western Colombian corridor.
