A magnitude 7.4 earthquake [1] struck Colombia on Monday, Aug. 10, with an epicenter located in the Chocó department [4].
The event is significant because it produced strong, prolonged shaking across multiple Colombian cities and extended into Panama and Venezuela, highlighting the region's high seismic vulnerability.
The Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) said the earthquake resulted from the subduction of the Nazca plate beneath the South American plate. According to the SGC, the Nazca plate moves at a rate of 55 to 60 mm per year [5]. This constant movement accumulates stress over time, which was released during Monday's event.
Despite the strength of the quake, the hypocenter was located at a depth of approximately 103 km [2]. This depth contributed to the widespread nature of the shaking felt across the region. The SGC said such deep-seated releases of energy can be felt far from the epicenter, even if the quake is not superficial.
Authorities monitored the Pacific coast for potential secondary disasters following the tremor. The Dirección General Marítima (Dimar) said there was no tsunami threat reported for the coasts [6].
The SGC said the subduction process is a primary driver of seismic activity in the Andean region. The release of accumulated stress is a natural process, but the magnitude of this specific event marks it as one of the most powerful in recent years for the country.
“A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, August 10.”
The 7.4-magnitude event underscores the persistent geological tension along the western coast of South America. Because the Nazca plate continues to subduct beneath the South American plate at a steady rate, Colombia remains in a high-risk zone for deep-focus earthquakes. While the depth of this specific quake mitigated some surface destruction and prevented a tsunami, the widespread shaking serves as a reminder of the necessity for strict seismic building codes in urban centers across the region.
