Get you up to speed: 111 people dead after 7.4-magnitude earthquake shakes Colombia | News World
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province, Colombia, causing extensive damage and resulting in at least 111 confirmed fatalities. In Quibdo, the provincial capital, many individuals are believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures.
Emergency services are conducting damage assessments in Quibdo, where officials report numerous injuries and several people trapped beneath collapsed buildings. President Abelardo de la Espriella has promised to support rebuilding efforts in the affected regions as authorities review the impact of this morning’s quake.
President Abelardo de la Espriella expressed solidarity with affected Colombians, stating, “you are not alone” and committing to rebuilding efforts. Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi confirmed ongoing damage assessments and expressed concern over potential aftershocks in the region.
What remains unclear — The total number of injuries and fatalities from the earthquake in Quibdo has not been confirmed.
111 confirmed dead following 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia
A strong earthquake has flattened buildings across Colombia and killed more than 100 people.
Dramatic footage early this morning showed people running for their lives as a building collapses around them.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck close to the El Cairo region, according to the US Geological Service.
It hit the Choco province on the country’s Pacific coast, with the epicentre located at a depth of 79km near San Jose del Palmar.
President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed that 111 people are dead after the deadly earthquake.
He wrote on X: ‘To the Colombians who are going through difficult times today, I want to say: you are not alone. You have a President who cares deeply for his people and who will do everything necessary to protect you, support you, and move forward together in rebuilding the affected regions.’
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One woman had a narrow escape as the four-storey building collapsed
The earthquake caused damage across Colombia, including in Cali, where tiles and rubble landed on a car (Picture: AP)
The University Hospital of the Valley saw three floors collapse, including the area where paediatrics, internal medicine and part of the neonatal unit operate.
HUV manager Irne Torres Castro said more than 600 patients were evacuated, but there are fatalities.
‘Yes, there are deaths. I can’t give a number at this precise moment; I can’t say if it’s two, four, or five, but there are deaths at this time,’ he told LAFM.
Many others were injured and buildings badly damaged in the Choco provincial capital, Quibdo, according to the governor, Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi.
Several people are believed to have been trapped underneath huge concrete blocks in Quibdo, the worst affected area.
Families dressed in pyjamas took cover on the streets after the earthquake was felt this morning (Picture: REUTERS)
She wrote on X: ‘We have just experienced a severe seismic event in the department of Chocó. We are concerned about aftershocks.
‘Although the epicentre was in San José del Palmar, in the capital Quibdó there are injuries and severe damage to buildings. We are already conducting the damage assessment to issue the first official report.’
Residents looked at damaged buildings in their neighbourhood in Cali (Picture: Getty/AFP)
According to Cali mayor Alejandro Eder, at least 20 buildings have collapsed with people trapped inside.
In Bogota, families getting ready for work and school fled their homes in the middle of breakfast.
Damage to buildings was reported in Manizales, and evacuations in the coastal city of Medellin.
The famous Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Rosary in Manizales is said to have been damaged and may be at risk of collapse.
A map shows where the 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit on Colombia’s Pacific coast (Picture: USGS)
Tremors were also felt across the border in Ecuador’s capital Quito.
It comes less than two months after the deadly earthquake devastated the already embattled Venezuela on June 24.
Two earthquakes levelled buildings in the capital Caracas and in the state of La Guaira, where nearly all buildings were destroyed.
People were trapped under rubble, some for days as rescuers battled to get to them.
As of August, more than 6,100 people have been confirmed dead from the quakes, while tens of thousands are still missing and people remain in hospital.
Why is Central America vulnerable to earthquakes?
The Central and South American region where both Colombia and Venezuela are located is prone to powerful earthquakes.
They sit near the boundary of several tectonic plates, making it a lively zone for seismic activity that can hit suddenly.
Colombia is prone to natural disasters due to its location on the meeting point of three tectonic plates, the Nazca, the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate.
Earthquakes above 6 on the Richter scale are considered strong, while anything around 7 is major.
Even strong 6 Richter tremors can cause significant damage, especially in packed urban areas.
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