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Colombia 7.4 Earthquake: Over 110 Dead, National Disaster Declared

Colombia is facing a dramatic emergency and awaiting international assistance following a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that has killed at least 111 people. The quake struck at a focal depth of 115 km and was felt…

Colombia 7.4 Earthquake: Over 110 Dead, National Disaster Declared
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Colombia is facing a dramatic emergency and awaiting international assistance following a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that has killed at least 111 people. The quake struck at a focal depth of 115 km and was felt widely across the country, causing severe building damage as terrified residents fled into the streets. Colombia’s geological survey reported the epicenter was located in the Chocó province along the Pacific coast, while President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of national disaster.

Read also: Deadly earthquake in Colombia: A Greek resident of Bogotá shares his story — “It’s the most terrifying experience I’ve ever had in my life” (Video)

Three children among the victims of Colombia’s deadly earthquake

Deaths have been reported across the departments of Valle del Cauca, Chocó, Antioquia, Caldas, and Risaralda, according to the latest updates from Colombian authorities. Dozens of fatalities have been recorded in the Valle del Cauca region, home to Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city. Earlier, the mayor of Pereira, Mauricio Salazar, confirmed a preliminary toll of 18 deaths and dozens of injuries, while the mayor of the neighboring city of Manizales, Jorge Eduardo Rojas, reported two fatalities there. The governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, told El Tiempo that three children were among the dead.

“There have been collapses in some areas, and naturally, some people are trapped. However, we are already here with the Army, working to free them and carrying out the necessary evacuations,” the governor stated. “There has been damage in several municipalities. In Calima-El Darién, we unfortunately lost three children when a wall collapsed on them. In Zarzal, one person also died. In Buenaventura, there is extensive damage but no injuries have been reported. In Riofrío and Calima-El Darién, there is also significant damage. The situation is serious and we are working on it,” she added.

“It was very frightening — we started to pray”: Harrowing eyewitness accounts from Colombia’s 7.4-magnitude earthquake

Dramatic firsthand accounts capturing the panic and anguish that gripped communities across Colombia following the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake are now coming to light, as the death toll climbs to 111. In Medellín, Gabriel Monaco, who lives on the 25th floor of an apartment building, described the terrifying moments he endured alongside his wife in an interview with TN Argentina. “My wife started to pray — we didn’t know what to do,” he said. He noted that he had experienced several earthquakes in the past but nothing like this. He and his wife locked themselves in a closet, taking only their phones, and waited for the violent shaking to stop.

“In my entire life, I have never experienced anything like this,” he said, describing how intensely the entire building shook and swayed. “I’m still trembling, but I’m okay. We left and I’m now at my in-laws’ house, because there are always aftershocks,” he added. In Quibdó, the capital of Chocó province, residents also described an unprecedented experience. One local, speaking to Vanguardia, said he had “never felt shaking like that,” referring to the ferocity of the tremor. The area sits relatively close to the earthquake’s epicenter, and authorities recorded significant structural damage to buildings. Even more intense was the experience of a woman working at a medical center in Quibdó. The woman, who was on the sixth floor at the time of the earthquake, described the situation as “horrific,” expressing relief that both she and her colleagues were unharmed.

The strongest earthquake in a decade

Shocking images have emerged from Matecaña International Airport in the city of Pereira following the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake. The footage from the airport vividly captures the force of the quake, showing people struggling to make their way out of the building through the debris. In Pereira, 18 people were killed and others remain trapped in collapsed buildings, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio. In Manizales, two people were killed, as confirmed by Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas in an interview with Blu Radio. Today’s earthquake is the strongest recorded in Colombia in the past decade, according to the country’s Geological Survey.

In a post on X, the agency noted that the earthquake had “been widely felt across various regions of the country and in neighboring countries such as Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.” Two aftershocks, measuring 2.8 and 4.8 in magnitude, have been recorded so far, the agency reported. It stated that it would provide “official and timely information as soon as new data becomes available.”

The moment the dome of the Metropolitan Cathedral in Manizales collapses

The dome of the Metropolitan Cathedral suffered severe damage during the seismic event. Video footage that has since gone viral captures the exact moment the cathedral’s dome collapses under the force of the earthquake. According to available information, the church also sustained extensive cracking throughout its structure.

Video circulating on social media captured debris raining down from an emergency services building in Cali. Chunks of the structure fell onto ambulances parked outside as people ran for their lives.

Civilians search the rubble for survivors

Terrified residents fled buildings as chunks of concrete and shards of glass rained down onto the streets below. Dust blanketed everything in its path. In one video, a woman is seen falling to the pavement as she desperately tries to flee, while nearby other women stand huddled together, watching in stunned silence as the scene unfolds around them. In the earliest footage captured, civilians rushed toward the rubble of collapsed buildings to check for survivors and offer assistance, while authorities urged all Colombians to remain calm.

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