Colombia Earthquake Kills Two, Traps Others in Collapsed Buildings

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least two people and leaving others trapped under collapsed buildings, according to local authorities.

The quake, which the Colombian geological service revised to a magnitude of 7.4, struck at a depth of 96 kilometers near San Jose del Palmar in the Pacific-coast province of Choco. The U.S. tsunami warning system said there was no tsunami threat.

In the town of Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas confirmed two fatalities. In Cali, one of Colombia's largest cities, Mayor Alejandro Eder said preliminary reports indicated at least 20 structures had collapsed, with people trapped in the debris. Eder said Cali had requested disaster-response teams from Bogota and Medellin to assist in rescue operations.

Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba reported injuries and significant damage in Quibdo, the provincial capital, and urged residents to remain alert for aftershocks. In the neighboring province of Risaralda, Governor Juan Diego Patino said Pereira, a major city in Colombia's coffee-growing region, also suffered serious damage to several buildings.

Colombia's civil aviation authority suspended flights at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura while inspectors assessed structural integrity. The national disaster agency said it had received reports from nine departments and all 32 departmental capitals where the quake was felt, triggering evacuations and initial damage assessments.

The tremor was also felt in Venezuela, with reports from the border state of Tachira and the central-western city of Barquisimeto.