Devastating Earthquake Strikes Western Colombia

A dramatic video captured the moment a building collapsed after a severe 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit western Colombia on Monday. The quake caused buildings to fall in various cities, resulting in at least 47 fatalities, with the death toll rising as more individuals remained trapped in the debris.

The Colombian geological service reported that the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4 and occurred at a depth of 96 kilometers (60 miles). Meanwhile, the U.S. tsunami warning system confirmed no tsunami threat was present.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated on X that the Trump Administration is monitoring the situation closely and is ready to assist Colombia and its President, @ABDELAESPRIELLA.

Residents in Cali, one of Colombia’s largest cities, were seen digging through the rubble following the earthquake. At least 18 people lost their lives in Pereira, a city within Colombia’s coffee-growing region, according to Mayor Mauricio Salazar. Manizales reported three deaths, per Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas. In Buenaventura, a building collapse claimed one life and trapped others, as reported by Mayor Ligia del Carmen Cordoba.

Efforts to rescue trapped individuals continued in Cali, where more than two dozen buildings fell. Mayor Alejandro Eder noted that disaster teams from Bogota and Medellin were requested for support. Among those rescued was an elderly woman and a young girl, while several others remain trapped.

The quake struck near San Jose del Palmar in Choco, a less populated province on Colombia’s Pacific Coast. Choco’s Governor, Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi, reported injuries and substantial damage in Quibdo. She also cautioned residents of potential aftershocks.

Colombia’s civil aviation authority announced that flights were suspended at airports including those in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura for inspections. The country’s disaster agency said the quake affected nine departments and all 32 departmental capitals, prompting evacuations and damage reports.

Reuters witnesses in Venezuela’s Tachira and Barquisimeto regions felt the quake’s tremors, recalling that Venezuela experienced twin earthquakes in June with over 6,000 casualties.