A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing building collapses and killing at least 70 people [1, 5].
The disaster has prompted a national state of emergency as rescue crews search for survivors in the hardest-hit regions [1]. The scale of the destruction highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure in the Pacific coastal regions to tectonic activity.
The Colombian Geological Survey said the quake occurred at a depth of 103 kilometers [1, 2] in the department of Chocó [2]. Officials said the event was due to natural tectonic activity [1].
Reports on the death toll vary across different sources. Local officials initially reported that around 70 people died [5], while other reports cited at least 77 deaths [6]. However, President Gustavo Petro said the number of dead rose to 111 [3]. Other reports confirmed the toll had surpassed 100 [4].
President Petro addressed the crisis following the collapse of multiple buildings in the region [1]. The government is currently coordinating emergency responses to provide aid to residents of the Chocó department, where the epicenter was located [2].
Rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities attempt to locate missing persons trapped under rubble. The Colombian government has not yet released a final count of the injured, or the total number of displaced residents.
“The number of dead rose to 111 people.”
The variation in death tolls—ranging from 70 to 111—reflects the chaos of early rescue efforts in the remote Chocó department. Because the region is geographically isolated, the government faces significant logistical hurdles in verifying casualties and delivering aid, which may prolong the state of emergency.
