A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake has struck western Colombia, resulting in at least 111 deaths and 87 injuries. The seismic event triggered widespread destruction, causing buildings to collapse, damaging critical infrastructure, and forcing medical facilities to move patients outdoors as emergency teams scrambled to assess the damage.
The Colombian government has officially declared a national disaster to bolster the coordination and mobilization of emergency response efforts. President Abelardo De La Espriella announced that he has taken direct charge of the situation and ordered the establishment of a unified command post, stating, "The state is present and taking action."
In the city of Manizales, authorities confirmed multiple fatalities and reported that dozens of buildings have been destroyed or partially damaged. Significant structural damage was also noted at the city's cathedral, where one of the main towers was severely impacted. Across the affected region, rescue teams and local residents are working through piles of concrete and debris to locate survivors trapped in the rubble.
The impact of the earthquake has disrupted regional transportation, with airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura suspending operations to allow for structural assessments. Damage was also reported at the Alfonso Bonilla Aragon Airport in Cali. The earthquake's reach extended beyond Colombia, with strong tremors felt in neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. As emergency personnel continue to assist the injured, authorities remain engaged in assessing the full extent of the destruction across the affected departments.
