Earthquake kills over 100 people in western Colombia

A powerful earthquake hit western Colombia on Monday morning, killing at least 20 people. The 7.4-magnitude quake struck at 7:34 a.m., with its centre near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region. It was the strongest earthquake in Colombia in ten years.

Buildings collapsed in several cities, including Cali, Pereira, and Manizales. In Cali, rescue workers searched for people trapped in around 20 collapsed buildings. A tower of the historic cathedral in Manizales also fell. People felt the tremors in Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.

Several smaller aftershocks followed the main quake. President Abelardo de la Espriella said he will personally lead the recovery effort. Colombia sits on tectonic plate boundaries, so earthquakes are not unusual there.