A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time (13:34 GMT) on [current date], according to the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombian authorities. The epicenter was located in the province of Chocó, in the west of the country, and tremors were also felt in neighboring Venezuela.
Initial reports indicate multiple buildings collapsed and sustained severe damage in major cities such as Cali and Pereira. Social media videos show residents searching for victims in the rubble in Cali, and also capture a woman fleeing a collapsing building in Manizales, the capital of Caldas province.
The governor of Chocó province, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, reported injuries and significant damage to buildings in the province's capital, Quibdó.
Colombia's new president, Abelardo De La Espriella, who was sworn in on Friday, announced he would travel to Pereira, the capital of Risaralda province, to direct the government's response. "You are not alone. The state is present and acting," he wrote on social media platform X.
The earthquake comes just weeks after Venezuela was hit by two consecutive earthquakes that devastated its northern coast, killing more than 6,000 people.
