A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia and neighboring Latin American countries on Monday. The Mayor of Pereira, Mauricio Salazar said that
the death toll has risen to at least 20. In the town of Pereira, 18 people were killed and others were trapped in buildings that collapsed while two people were killed in Manizales.
The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart USGS put the magnitude at 7.4, with an epicenter 100 km (60 miles) underground in the west of the country. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6. Colombian officials said they did not fear a tsunami after the early-morning quake, which was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
It also prompted building evacuations in Bogota. The Governor of Colombia’s Choco province said that there were injuries and serious damage in the provincial capital Quibdo.
Six small airports in western Colombia have suspended operations in the wake of this devastating earthquake. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would travel to the quake-hit region.
The Mayor of Columbian city Cali, Alejandro Eder said he had requested rescue teams from Bogota and Medellin to assist with emergency operations and urged residents to evacuate buildings showing structural damage.
