Earthquake with ۷.۴ magnitude hits Colombia, killing at least ۲۰

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Emergency teams are still assessing the impact of the quake that was felt across the region.

A powerful ۷.۴-magnitude earthquake has struck western Colombia and neighbouring countries, prompting widespread evacuations.

The earthquake struck on Monday near the municipality of San Jose del Palmar in Colombia’s Choco region, about ۴۰۰km (۲۵۰ miles) west of the capital, Bogota, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia’s geological service. Colombia had initially put its magnitude at ۶.۶ on the Richter scale.

The USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of about ۱۰۷km (۶۶ miles). The US tsunami warning system said there was no tsunami warning.

“We have just experienced a major earthquake in the department of Choco. We are concerned about aftershocks,” Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said on X. “Although the epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar, there are injuries and significant damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdo. We are already carrying out a damage assessment and will issue the first official report shortly.”

Authorities in Colombia and Ecuador urged residents in affected areas to remain alert as emergency teams assessed the quake’s impact.

In the capital, Bogotá, the earthquake triggered car and building alarms as people fled into the street.

Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán said on social media shortly after the earthquake that there were no reports of injuries, and only some cracks in buildings.

“No serious structural damage has been reported in Bogotá, so our resources are at the service of the country,” Galán wrote. “We stand in solidarity with the affected cities. We will continue to address this emergency and provide assistance as needed.”

News outlets aired footage of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Pereira and Manizales in a tourist region called Eje Cafetero.

The mayor of Pereira, Colombia, said that ۱۸ people had died there.

Two people are dead in Manizales, the Associated Press reported.

The quake comes weeks after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in late June, killing more than ۶,۰۰۰ people and destroying hundreds of buildings. The tremors, measuring ۷.۲ and ۷.۵ in magnitude, were among the deadliest earthquakes to hit the region in recent years.