People Flee Collapsing Building as Earthquake Kills 132 in Colombia

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing 132 people and injuring roughly 570. Rescue teams searched collapsed buildings across several cities while residents desperately dug through dangerous piles.

Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescuers continued searching unstable structures nearby. The Colombian Geological Service said the earthquake ranked as the country’s strongest tremor this century. Officials reported twenty one aftershocks following the initial quake, raising fears of destruction and casualties. President Abelardo De La Espriella faced his first national crisis just days after taking office.

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Rescue Efforts Intensify Across Quake-Hit Colombia

He declared an emergency, allowing authorities to release funds quickly for rescue and recovery operations. De La Espriella said rescuers had found damage across homes, schools, hospitals, and essential facilities. The president reported that 1,575 homes, 18 health centres, and 52 schools suffered damage. Authorities confirmed at least 61 buildings completely collapsed during the powerful earthquake across affected cities. Officials urged residents to remain alert as additional tremors could strike already weakened buildings nearby.

Social media footage showed a four story building collapsing in Pereira during the violent shaking. Other footage from Manizales showed a tower of the landmark neo-Gothic cathedral suddenly collapsing onto streets. Debris scattered across streets as residents fled buildings and emergency workers rushed toward affected areas. Caracol Television broadcast footage showing rescuers pulling a dust covered six month old baby alive. Rescuers recovered the baby and her mother from beneath a collapsed five story building structure. The earthquake struck Colombia’s Pacific region near Choco, one of the country’s poorest remote areas. Dense jungle and limited transport routes could complicate rescue operations and efforts to assess casualties. Seismologist Suzan van der Lee said the earthquake’s depth and motion intensified shaking across valleys. She explained that interactions among major tectonic plates make Colombia especially challenging for earthquake analysis.

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