Devastating earthquake in Colombia leaves 132 dead, search for survivors continues

At least 132 people have died and around 500 others have been injured after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday.

Casualties have been confirmed in the departments of Valle del Cauca, Chocó, Antioquia, Caldas, and Risaralda. Dozens of them have been recorded in Valle del Cauca, where Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, is located.

The tremors, with a focal depth of about 115 kilometers, caused significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Footage from the affected areas shows buildings collapsing, chunks of concrete and glass falling onto the streets, and terrified residents running away.

Search-and-rescue teams are checking damaged buildings, as it is feared that people may still be trapped under the rubble. Authorities have warned that the death toll may change.

National state of catastrophe

Colombian President Abelardo de la Esperanza declared a national state of catastrophe, aiming to speed up the deployment of resources and emergency forces to affected areas.

Specialized search-and-rescue teams from Bogotá, Envigado, Yopal, and Medellín have been activated for the operations.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara said that authorities have communicated with governors and mayors of the struck areas. According to him, efforts to extract trapped people and assess damage are being coordinated.

Among the victims, three children

The governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, reported that three children lost their lives in Calima-El Darién after a wall collapsed on them.

“There have been collapses in some areas and, of course, some people are trapped. However, we are already here with the Army, working to free them and carrying out necessary evacuations,” she stated.

Toro said that some municipalities have suffered major damage, while another person has died in Zarzal. In Buenaventura, extensive damage has been reported, but so far no confirmed casualties.

18 dead in Pereira, two victims in Manizales

The mayor of Pereira, Mauricio Salazar, confirmed in the early hours after the earthquake that at least 18 people had died in the city, while dozens more were injured.

“What happened to us today is tragic. We do not know, at this moment, the true scale of the earthquake’s effects,” Salazar said.

In Manizales, mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas announced that there were two fatalities. He added that over 20 homes and more than a dozen buildings have been partially or completely damaged.

Cali, the country’s third-largest city, has also faced heavy damage and building collapses. To assess the situation, rescue teams are using drones as well.

Hospitals evacuated, airports temporarily closed

Authorities in Cali began evacuating hospitals after concerns were raised about possible further damage to their structures.

Footage from the city shows patients and residents leaving buildings while emergency services have been placed on alert.

Activity has been temporarily suspended at six airports: Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura. The decision was made due to damage and safety checks.

In Manizales, the tremors also severely damaged the Metropolitan Cathedral. Its dome collapsed during the earthquake, a moment captured in footage shared on social media.

Tremors felt in Bogotá and neighboring countries

The earthquake was recorded at 7:34 a.m. local time. The shocks were felt strongly in Bogotá and Cali, as well as in Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.

The Colombian Geological Agency stated that the epicenter was in Chocó province, near the Pacific coast.

The U.S. Geological Survey did not issue any tsunami warning.

Less than 60 minutes after the main shock, the USGS recorded a magnitude 5.0 aftershock.

The governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Kouri, warned that there could be more tremors. She said that injuries and considerable damage to buildings have been reported in Quibdó.

Residents search for survivors under the rubble

Videos from the stricken areas show citizens hurriedly leaving buildings as chunks of concrete, glass, and other materials fall onto the streets.

Immediately after some collapses, residents approached the rubble and tried to find and help people who might have been trapped.

Authorities have asked citizens to remain calm and stay away from damaged buildings due to the risk of further collapses.

In Manizales, classes in schools and universities have been suspended until further notice.

U.S. monitors the situation

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Trump administration is closely monitoring the situation in Colombia and is ready to offer support to the Colombian people.

“The Trump administration is closely monitoring the earthquake in Colombia and is ready to support the Colombian people,” Rubio wrote on X.

Search-and-rescue operations continue across the country. The toll of victims and damage may change as teams reach the most isolated areas.

The earthquake in Colombia occurred just weeks after two powerful tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck neighboring Venezuela in late June, causing major damage and thousands of casualties.