PEREIRA, Colombia, Aug. 10 (World Daily Times) — A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Aug. 10, killing at least 111 people, injuring 87 and collapsing buildings in several cities, according to Colombian officials and the country’s Geological Service. The death toll increased through the day as authorities reported casualties from different regions.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster or emergency, according to reports citing his statement. Rescue teams searched collapsed buildings in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Buenaventura and other communities. Officials said some people remained trapped under rubble during the initial response.
Where did the earthquake strike?
The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, on Colombia’s Pacific coast, according to Colombia’s Geological Service and the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, or 12:34 p.m. GMT.
The reported depth varied by update and source, ranging from 96 to 107 kilometers. Several reports citing Colombia’s Geological Service gave a depth of about 103 kilometers, while other updates citing the U.S. Geological Survey gave a figure of 107 kilometers.
Shaking was felt across Colombia and in neighboring Ecuador, Venezuela and Panama. Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management and the U.S. tsunami warning system reported no tsunami threat.
What damage was reported?
Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said the city had at least 12 critical response sites and as many as 25 collapsed structures in one update. Other reports put the number at 19. The available reports do not explain whether the difference came from revised counts or different definitions of a collapsed structure.
Eder said two people, an elderly woman and a young girl, had been rescued alive and that more people were trapped. Officials also reported damage in Pereira, Manizales, Buenaventura, Quibdó and other areas. Colombia’s aviation authority reported damage at several regional airports.
Video circulated by local media showed at least one building collapsing during the earthquake. BBC Verify said it authenticated footage used in its coverage. The supplied reports do not provide an engineering assessment of the buildings or identify the cause of any individual collapse.
Why did the death toll change?
Early reports listed at least 20 deaths, including 18 in Pereira and two in Manizales. Later updates raised the total to at least 47, then 73, before President de la Espriella and local officials reported 111 deaths.
Regional figures also changed as authorities collected information. One later tally cited 40 deaths in Risaralda and 27 in Valle del Cauca, but the available reports do not fully reconcile those numbers with the national total. No complete casualty list or building-by-building damage assessment was provided.
Such changes are common after major earthquakes because rescue crews may initially lack access to damaged sites, and local officials may report figures before a national count is completed. In this case, the reported totals should be treated as preliminary until Colombia’s authorities publish a consolidated accounting.
What happens after the main earthquake?
Colombia’s Geological Service reported aftershocks measuring magnitude 2.8 and 4.8. An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that follows a larger one in the same general area. It can damage structures already weakened by the main shock and make rescue work more dangerous.
Manizales Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas urged residents to remain outside because of concern about additional shaking, according to reports citing his statement. Evacuations were also reported in other Colombian cities.
What is not yet known?
The available information does not establish how many people remained trapped, how many buildings were damaged overall or whether construction standards contributed to the collapses. It also does not provide a complete scientific analysis of the earthquake’s fault, ground motion or the reasons damage varied from place to place.
The earthquake’s magnitude, location and aftershocks were measured by geological agencies. Those measurements describe the event itself; they do not, by themselves, explain why particular buildings failed or determine the final human toll.
