The Media Line: At Least 111 Killed as Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Colombia  

At Least 111 Killed as Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Strikes Colombia  

By The Media Line Staff  

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday has killed at least 111 people, prompting the government to declare a state of national disaster and deploy soldiers to affected areas, President Abelardo de la Espriella said.  

The earthquake was centered in San José del Palmar in the northwestern department of Chocó, approximately 240 kilometers, or 149 miles, west of Bogotá. The quake was the strongest recorded in Colombia in the past decade, Colombian Geological Service Director Julio Fierro Morales said.  

President Abelardo de la Espriella said the earthquake left at least 87 people injured and caused damage to roughly 1,600 buildings, with at least 61 structures destroyed. He announced emergency measures to speed the release of recovery funds and said he planned to travel to the affected area.  

“We aren’t going to leave people alone. They are in our hearts and we are going to tend to people with our full determination,” he said.  

Effects extended to Bogotá, where the shaking was strongly felt. Alarms sounded across the capital, and residents left buildings and gathered in the streets as a precaution.  

Videos from areas affected by the earthquake showed buildings collapsing and power lines swaying during the tremor.  

The government declared a national disaster as authorities began responding to the destruction. Soldiers were being sent to earthquake-hit areas to assist with the response.  

De la Espriella announced Tuesday that the confirmed death toll had reached at least 111, while dozens of other people had been injured.