A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 47 people and collapsing dozens of buildings in several cities. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's geological service said the epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region, roughly 400 kilometers west of Bogotá. The quake struck at a depth of about 107 kilometers; tremors were also felt in neighboring Ecuador.
Rescue teams are urgently searching for people trapped under rubble in the hardest-hit cities, including Pereira, Quibdo, Cali, and Manizales. Many residents have fled their homes to evacuate, as authorities warned of possible aftershocks. Colombia's geological service called it the largest earthquake recorded in the country in a decade, and noted two aftershocks of magnitudes 2.8 and 4.8 shortly after.
Colombia frequently experiences small earthquakes, known as "temblores," in its central and western regions. However, quakes stronger than 6.0 magnitude are rare. In 1999, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake near the city of Armenia killed more than 1,100 people.
Colombia's newly inaugurated president, Abelardo de la Espriella, said he has personally taken charge of the emergency response in the San Jose del Palmar area following the quake.
