At least 80 people have died following a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, according to a CNN tally based on preliminary reports from governors and mayors in the affected areas. The epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, in the northwestern department of Chocó, about 240 kilometers west of Bogotá. The tremor was felt strongly in the nation's capital, with alarms sounding and people evacuating to the streets as a precaution. The Colombian government has declared a state of national disaster, and rescue soldiers are being deployed to affected areas of the country. The department of Risaralda in western-central Colombia has emerged as a major source of fatalities, with at least 40 deaths confirmed there so far. The earthquake was the strongest in the country in the last decade, according to the director of the Colombian Geological Service, with videos showing buildings collapsing and power lines shaking. International leaders in the US, South America, Europe, and the Middle East have offered to bolster rescue efforts. The mayor of a town in Colombia’s western Chocó department told Caracol Radio that the earthquake was the “strongest in our entire history.” More than 2 million people were exposed to very strong shaking during the earthquake, and the most populated cities likely affected include Zarzal, Pereira, and Armenia. USGS estimates significant casualties could be among the potentially widespread damage based on the shaking, with a roughly one-in-three chance that fatalities could top 1,000. The Colombian president has convened an emergency committee to address the damage caused by the earthquake. The president said he will personally lead efforts to assist communities affected by the disaster from a post at Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. At least two people have died in the central Colombian city of Manizales, according to the mayor. Many structures were affected, with buildings that are totally or partially destroyed. The city suspended service on the Manizales aerial cable car system due to structural damage, and authorities are evacuating passengers. The quake damaged airports in five other Colombian cities besides Pereira, including Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, suspending flight operations. Flights are also suspended at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport in Cali. The Venezuelan government is assessing the situation in the border states of Táchira and Zulia, according to a local governor. The Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado gave “solidarity and prayers” to Colombia after the quake on Monday, adding that Venezuelans know “firsthand how vital international solidarity is in the face of a tragedy of this magnitude.” The El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele stated the government is “ready to provide immediate support with our rescue teams, medical personnel, paramedics, supplies, or any other assistance.” Guatemala’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs published an emergency phone number for nationals in Colombia, urging them to “stay attentive to the instructions of local authorities and only consult official sources.” Chilean President José Antonio Kast said that his country “knows the pain and challenges left in the wake of earthquakes” and is ready to provide whatever support Colombia needs. The president of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, wrote on X, “Colombia, Ecuador stands with you. We place our USAR team at your disposal: 47 rescuers, specialized search dogs, and equipment capable of operating independently for 7 days. We are ready to mobilize whenever you need us.” The governor of Antioquia, the region that includes the city of Medellín, said a 73-year-old man had died in the strong earthquake. Four people, including three children, have been killed in the region of Valle del Cauca after an earthquake struck Colombia this morning, according to a local governor. The three children died following the collapse of a wall in the municipality of Calima El Darién, while the other person died in Zarzal. The situation is serious, said the governor, noting that she is at the Valle University Hospital, where “collapses in some areas” also occurred. Video shared on social media shows the moment tremors from today’s powerful earthquake were felt by travelers at Aeropuerto Internacional Matecaña in Pereira, Colombia. People can be seen seeking cover as debris falls around them. The quake damaged airports in five other Colombian cities besides Pereira, including Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura, according to the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, suspending flight operations. Flights are also suspended at Alfonso Bonilla Aragón Airport in Cali. The Colombian president has convened an emergency committee to address the damage caused by the earthquake. The president said he will personally lead efforts to assist communities affected by the disaster from a post at Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. At least two people have died in the central Colombian city of Manizales, according to the mayor. Many structures were affected, with buildings that are totally or partially destroyed. The city suspended service on the Manizales aerial cable car system due to structural damage, and authorities are evacuating passengers. The mayor of a town in Colombia’s western Chocó department told Caracol Radio that the earthquake felt there was the “strongest in our entire history.” The health center where the mayor is currently located is completely overwhelmed, he said. We are on high alert because we are being informed of possible aftershocks. Velásquez said that he had not been informed of any deaths in Nóvita from the quake, but that the town’s church and numerous other buildings were badly damaged. The most populated cities likely affected include Zarzal, Pereira, and Armenia. USGS estimates significant casualties could be among the potentially widespread damage based on the shaking, with a roughly one-in-three chance that fatalities could top 1,000. The Colombian president has convened an emergency committee to address the damage caused by the earthquake. The president said he will personally lead efforts to assist communities affected by the disaster from a post at Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. At least two people have died in the central Colombian city of Manizales, according to the mayor. Many structures were affected, with buildings that are totally or partially destroyed. The city suspended service on the Manizales aerial cable car system due to structural damage, and authorities are evacuating passengers. The mayor of a town in Colombia’s western Chocó department told Caracol Radio that the earthquake felt there was the “strongest in our entire history.” The health center where the mayor is currently located is completely overwhelmed, he said. We are on high alert because we are being informed of possible aftershocks. Velásquez said that he had not been informed of any deaths in Nóvita from the quake, but that the town’s church and numerous other buildings were badly damaged. The most populated cities likely affected include Zarzal, Pereira, and Armenia. USGS estimates significant casualties could be among the potentially widespread damage based on the shaking, with a roughly one-in-three chance that fatalities could top 1,000. The Colombian president has convened an emergency committee to address the damage caused by the earthquake. The president said he will personally lead efforts to assist communities affected by the disaster from a post at Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management.
