132 killed in strong earthquake in Colombia, state of emergency declared

The death toll from a strong earthquake in Colombia has risen to 132. More than 480 people have been injured. It is feared that many more may be trapped under collapsed buildings. As a result, the number of casualties may increase further.

A state of emergency has been declared in the country after this terrible disaster. Emergency services and security forces have launched rescue operations.

7.4 magnitude earthquake

The earthquake struck Colombia at 7:34 am local time on Monday. According to the country's geological agency, its epicenter was near the San José del Palmar area in Choco province. The depth of the earthquake was about 103 kilometers.

Strong tremors were felt in a large area of ​​​​the western part of the country. The most damage was reported in the coffee-growing region and nearby cities.

Extensive damage in Pereira

The city of Pereira, about 55 kilometers from the epicenter, suffered extensive damage. At least 65 buildings collapsed, with some people feared trapped.

At least 40 people were reported dead in the Pereira metropolitan area alone. Videos circulating on social media showed debris and dust covering parts of the city.

A curfew was imposed in some areas of the city until 5am on Tuesday.

Damage in Cali and other cities

The city of Cali, about 160km south of Pereira, also suffered major damage. At least 32 buildings collapsed there. Residents fled their homes in panic during the quake.

At least two people were killed in the city of Manizales, where several buildings cracked and bricks and plaster fell in places.

Casualties and damage were also reported in the regions of Quibdo, Medellin, Choco and Valle del Cauca.

Tremors also felt in Bogota

Strong tremors were also felt in the capital Bogota. Trees and traffic signals were seen swaying there. Although some buildings cracked, there were no reports of major infrastructure damage in the capital.

Several regional airports, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, were damaged by the earthquake.

In addition, tremors were also felt in neighboring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.

State of emergency, rescue operations underway

Colombian President Abelardo de la Esperanza declared a national disaster after the earthquake. This gives the government special powers to deal with emergencies.

The president said that more than 1,500 houses were damaged in the earthquake.

Rescue workers are continuing their efforts to rescue people trapped under collapsed buildings. The rubble is being cleared and the missing are being searched for.

International offers of assistance have also been made. The United States said it was monitoring the situation and was ready to provide assistance if necessary. The European Union also said it would use the Copernicus satellite to help with rescue and situation assessment.

About 1.5 million people felt the tremors

According to the United States Geological Survey, about 1.5 million people felt the strong tremors of the earthquake.

The earthquake originated deep in the ground. Generally, deep earthquakes can be less damaging than earthquakes that occur near the surface. However, if the shaking is strong, earthquakes that originate deep can also cause major damage to buildings and important infrastructure.

Source: BBC