Colombia: At least 73 dead after a 7,4 magnitude earthquake

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, killing at least 73 people according to an initial count five hours after the quake. Buildings collapsed in Cali and several other cities, trapping residents under the rubble.

The earthquake, measuring 7,4 on the Richter scale according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), had its epicenter at the eastern tip of Chocó province, on Colombia's Pacific coast, at a depth of approximately 107 kilometers. The nearest city, Cartago, has a population of around 140 and is located about 000 kilometers from the epicenter.

The provisional death toll stands at 67, concentrated in two of the hardest-hit regions. In Valle del Cauca, whose capital is Cali, at least 27 people have lost their lives. In Risaralda, 40 deaths have been recorded, including at least 18 in Pereira, the regional capital. Two more deaths were reported in Manizales, in the Caldas region, by Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas during a radio interview. In Chocó, the epicenter of the earthquake, Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi reported four deaths and 69 injuries by mid-morning.

In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder announced the collapse of at least twenty buildings, some with people trapped inside. "We are managing this emergency alongside all the rescue agencies in Cali," he stated on Instagram, adding that he had requested reinforcements from the mayors of Bogotá and Medellín.

The Colombian civil aviation authority reported damage at six airports—Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura—in addition to the Cali airport. Air operations were suspended while structural damage was assessed.

The tremors were felt across almost all of the western half of the country, as well as in Ecuador to the south, and in Panama and Venezuela. The USGS recorded a magnitude 5,0 aftershock less than an hour after the main quake. The epicenter was located near the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of ​​intense tectonic and volcanic activity.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, recently inaugurated, announced that he had personally taken charge of coordinating the government's response from San José del Palmar. "You are not alone. The state is present and is acting," he declared.