An earthquake with an epicentre near the village of San José del Palmar in Colombia's Chocó province has killed at least 40 people in the metropolitan area of Pereira, approximately 55 kilometres from the epicentre, according to local authorities. Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on Friday, has declared a national disaster situation, confirming more than 1,500 homes were damaged.
Colombia earthquake kills at least 40 in Pereira metropolitan area as president declares national disaster
An earthquake with an epicentre near the village of San José del Palmar in Colombia's Chocó province has killed at least 40 people in the metropolitan area of Pereira, approximately 55 kilometres from the epicentre, according to local authorities. Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office on Friday, has declared a national disaster situation, confirming more than 1,500 homes were damaged.
In Pereira, at least 65 buildings have collapsed and people are reportedly trapped in 15 of them. BBC-verified video footage shows at least one building collapsing in Plaza Bolívar, the city's main square. A curfew is in place in parts of the city until 05:00 local time on Tuesday.
In Cali, located approximately 160 kilometres south of Pereira and around 200 kilometres from the epicentre, 32 buildings reportedly collapsed. Deaths were also reported in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín, and across the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions, with at least two fatalities confirmed in Manizales.
The local mayor of San José del Palmar, León Fabio Marín Moncada, said there were no deaths or injuries near the epicentre, though roads in and out of the area were damaged.
Colombia's aviation authority reported damage at several regional airports, including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura. In the capital Bogotá, trees and traffic lights shook and cracks in buildings were reported, though no serious infrastructure damage was recorded.
Tremors were felt as far away as Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. According to the US Geological Survey, an estimated 1.5 million people felt shaking close to magnitude seven. The USGS noted that deep earthquakes are generally less dangerous than shallower ones but can release energy in ways damaging to buildings, with fewer but potentially stronger aftershocks.
The national disaster declaration grants the president special powers to respond to the emergency, including the ability to reallocate budgets. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US was closely monitoring the situation and stood ready to support. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU's Copernicus satellite was being used in the rescue operation, and El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele offered personnel and equipment.
A journalist and meteorologist from Manizales told BBC Mundo that the city has strict seismic-resistant building regulations due to previous earthquakes, which he said allowed his building to withstand the impact. A hotel guest in Manizales told BBC World Service that cracks appeared in walls and bricks fell from neighbouring buildings during the quake.
- The precise magnitude and depth of the earthquake are not stated in the source text
- The total confirmed death toll across all affected areas is not given as a single figure
- The number of people confirmed trapped or rescued is not specified
- The cause or mechanism of the building collapses has not been established
- The timeline of events following the earthquake is not detailed
- Whether international aid offers have been formally accepted by Colombia is not stated
- The source does not establish how many people were injured in total
- The date and local time the earthquake struck are not stated in the source text