224 dead, 600 injured after 7.4-magnitude earthquake hits Colombia

Colombia: The death toll has climbed to 224 and 600 people have been injured after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, August 10. The earthquake caused buildings to collapse and people were left trapped under the rubble as rescue teams continued to search affected areas.

The earthquake struck at around 7:34 a.m. local time. The epicentre was located near San  José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded that earthquake at a depth of 107 km.

The earthquake was also felt across several parts of Colombia, which includes Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó and Bogotá. Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.

Pereira has recorded the highest number of deaths, with 60 people reported killed in the city. The earthquake also caused damage in Cali, Manizales and other areas in western Colombia.

At least 1,575 homes were affected and 61 buildings collapsed, according to the latest figures. Authorities in Cali have also reported 188 people missing as search and rescue operations continue.

Several airports were also also affected by the quake. Operations were suspended at the airports in Pereira, Manzales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.

Rescue workers, police, soldiers and residents have been searching through collapsed buildings for survivors. In some areas, rubble has been removed by hand in order to reach people who may still be trapped.

Sixteen people were also rescued from Pereira’s aerial cable car system after they were trapped in the cabins for several hours after the earthquake. 

Colombia’s government has declared a national disaster situation and deployed military and police personnel, engineers, rescue workers and search dogs to the affected areas. President Abelardo de la Espriella said that the priority was to rescue people trapped under the rubble and provide assistance to the affected communities.

The Colombian Geological Service also reported 21 aftershocks by Monday evening and warned that more tremors could occur. The earthquake was also described by the service as the strongest recorded in Colombia in the 21st century.

Condolences and messages of support have been coming in from countries around the world after the earthquake. The United States has announced US$15.5 million in emergency assistance for Colombia, while Ecuador and El Salvador have also offered rescue personnel and equipment to support the response. The European Union has also offered support through its Copernicus satellite programme.

Colombia is located in a seismically active region where several tectonic plates meet. The latest earthquake occurred at considerable depth, but its magnitude caused strong shaking across a wide area.

Search and rescue operations are continuing as authorities assess the damage and work to locate missing people.