A magnitude 7.4 [1] earthquake struck Colombia on Monday morning, leaving at least 111 people dead [1].
The disaster highlights the vulnerability of Colombian infrastructure to seismic activity and the immediate need for coordinated emergency responses across multiple regions.
The epicenter of the quake was located near San José del Palmar in Chocó [5]. The tremors were felt across several major urban centers, including Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Pereira, and Manizales [2, 4].
Javier Pava, director of the Unidad Nacional de Gestión del Riesgo y la Discapacidad (UNGRD), said nine departments were affected by the tremor [4]. The impact has led to widespread evacuations of buildings in the hardest-hit areas [1].
Casualty reports indicate that more than 80 people were injured [1]. While one source initially reported a single death, updated figures from the same publisher indicate the toll has reached 111 [1].
Emergency crews are currently working to assess the full extent of the damage in the Chocó region. The UNGRD continues to monitor the nine affected departments to identify further structural failures or missing persons [4].
"9 departamentos han sido afectados por el temblor," Pava said [4].
“A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday morning, leaving at least 111 people dead.”
The scale of this earthquake, affecting nine different departments, demonstrates the wide reach of seismic events originating in the Chocó region. The significant discrepancy in early death toll reports underscores the chaos inherent in the first hours of a major natural disaster, while the magnitude of 7.4 places this event among the more severe seismic activities recorded in the region.
