Powerful Earthquake Kills 111 in Colombia

At least 111 people were killed and another 87 injured after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia early on Monday. The 7.4-magnitude quake caused buildings to collapse in several cities, leaving more people trapped under the rubble.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at a depth of 107 kilometers near San José del Palmar in Chocó, a sparsely populated department on Colombia’s Pacific coast. Tremors were also felt in major cities across the country.

President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national state of emergency, saying the government had deployed all its capabilities to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid.

The president said the immediate priority was rescuing people trapped under the rubble. The disaster comes just days after de la Espriella took office and represents the first major crisis of his administration.

(Reuters)