Scores dead in Colombia after powerful earthquake strikes west of country
Quake of 7.4 magnitude collapses and severely damages buildings in several major cities, including Cali and Pereira
More than 100 people died after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, collapsing and severely damaging scores of buildings in major cities including Cali and Pereira.
The US and Colombian geological surveys reported that a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 7.34am local time on Monday, with its epicentre in the western department of Chocó. It was felt in neighbouring Venezuela, still reeling from a deadly double earthquake on 24 June.
The quake killed at least 132 people and more than 570 were injured as of Monday afternoon, according to the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, a group coordinating cities across the country.
“The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is needed,” Colombia’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella, said in a national address at about 1pm local time upon declaring a national state of emergency. “The first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble.”
Western Colombia appeared to have suffered the most serious damage. Authorities reported 27 deaths in the Valle del Cauca department, 40 deaths in Pereira, the capital of Risaralda department, and at least two in Manizales, the capital of Caldas.
The mayor of Manizales, Jorge Eduardo Rojas Giraldo, said at least 12 buildings and 20 homes had been partially or completely or destroyed.
In a video post, he told citizens to be “completely ready” for aftershocks. “Do not go back into the buildings yet. I know this isn’t easy but stay outside for a little while at least because there could be an aftershock.”
Social media videos showed people searching for victims in the wreckage of a four-storey hotel in Cali and a woman sprinting from a building as it collapsed in Manizales.
One video showed part of San José church in Pereira collapsing as palm trees around it shook. Another video published by the newspaper El Tiempo captured the moment a building gave way in Manizales.
The mayor of Cali, Alejandro Eder, said at least 20 buildings collapsed in his city and people were trapped inside.
“Right now, we are trying to map out what has happened, firstly to protect lives and secondly to be able to push ahead with any kind of rescue that might be necessary,” he said, urging citizens to stay calm.
He told residents to check their buildings for structural damage. “If you do not feel safe, if you see very large cracks, please leave the building.”
In an interview, the mayor of Pereira, Mauricio Salazar, said 65 buildings had collapsed, with victims thought to be trapped in at least 15 of them. Five of the city’s hospitals were reportedly inundated with the injured.
Raúl Andrés Buitrago, the head of customer service at a business in Pereira, said he was leaving for work when the seismic alert on his watch went off.
“There are often little tremors here,” he said. “But I’d never felt an earthquake like this. It started softly, softly, softly, then it felt like it was getting stronger every second.”
He spoke of “horrible” scenes as he fled outside on to the street in the city centre, which is home to many old buildings. “The roofs started to fall in. The buildings collapsed in on themselves. The panic was terrible. They were the four longest minutes of my life.”
The governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba, said people had been injured and buildings severely damaged in the department’s capital, Quibdó.
De la Espriella, who took office on Friday, said he would lead the government response. “Colombia has a president whose heart aches for his people and who will do everything in his power to help them in the most difficult moments,” he said in a video post.
De La Espriella visited Quibdo where he promised rent subsidies for those who had lost homes, and then travelled to Cali. Authorities in Cali, Armenia and Manizales announced curfews, with Cali’s mayor saying threats of looting had forced him to deploy police and military personnel to the streets. De La Espriella promised 1,000 additional security personnel for the city.
Aviation authorities said the airports were damaged in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Cartago, Armenia and Buenaventura.
Neighbouring Venezuela was struck on 24 June by twin earthquakes that devastated the country’s northern coast, killing more than 6,000 people.
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said the Trump administration – which has thrown its weight behind Colombia’s new rightwing president – would provide $15.5m in emergency aid.
[Source: The Guardian]
