Colombia: At least 18 dead and widespread damage after 7.4-magnitude earthquake

Buildings collapse and air traffic suspended at six airports as rescue teams deal with the aftermath

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia’s western coast on Monday morning, killing 18 people and injuring others, amid severe damage, building collapses, and disruptions to air traffic at several airports, according to the Colombian Geological Survey.

Reuters quoted the mayor of Pereira as stating that the earthquake death toll had reached 18.

For its part, the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority announced that the earthquake caused damage at six airports, necessitating the suspension of air traffic there.

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Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said that at least 20 buildings collapsed due to the earthquake, noting that people were trapped under the rubble. The city has requested that rescue teams from Bogotá and Medellín be sent to assist in the rescue efforts.

In the Chocó department, Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Correa said the earthquake caused injuries and severe damage, explaining that authorities had begun assessing the extent of the losses.

She added via the X platform that the earthquake’s epicenter was near San José del Palmar, and that severe damage had been inflicted on buildings in Quibdó, the department capital, expressing concern about the possibility of aftershocks.

The earthquake’s effects extended to neighboring countries, with residents in Ecuador feeling the tremors and its impact reaching as far north as Panama, according to Agence France-Presse.