A catastrophic 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday claiming at least 111 lives and reducing hundreds of buildings to rubble. Described by the Colombian Geological Service as the country's most powerful tremor this century, the disaster has triggered a massive, desperate search for survivors.
The quake’s epicenter was located near San Jose del Palmar in the remote Choco region, striking at a depth of 107 kilometers. Devastating tremors rippled across the country's western provinces. In Pereira and the nation’s third-largest city Cali rescue workers and civilian volunteers formed human chains to sift through concrete, racing against time to reach residents trapped inside more than 60 collapsed buildings.
Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national state of emergency with prioritizing immediate rescue and recovery operations. "We are not going to leave people alone" he assured the nation during a televised address.
The disaster arrives just weeks after twin earthquakes devastated neighboring Venezuela, leaving the Andean region on high alert.
The international community is actively mobilizing, the U.S. State Department has pledged $15.5 million in emergency aid while leaders from El Salvador, Mexico and Chile have offered rescue teams also medical personnel and structural support to assist the overwhelmed nation.
