What do we know about the earthquake that struck Colombia?

The provisional death toll from the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia this morning (at 7.34 am local time, 2.34 pm in Italy), with its epicentre in San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, has risen to at least 74. The latest update reports 40 fatalities officially confirmed to the broadcaster Bluradio by the Risaralda departmental government, concentrated mainly in the capital, Pereira, one of the areas hardest hit by the quake. Three of the victims were children, who died in the municipality of Calima El Darién when a wall collapsed. The death toll remains provisional and may rise as checks and rescue operations continue in the worst-affected areas. The authorities in the city of Pereira have imposed a curfew to deal with the emergency. 

The mayor of Manizales, Jorge Eduardo Rojas Giraldo, the capital of the neighbouring department of Caldas, has confirmed the deaths of at least two people in his city. He also reported that between 20 and 30 houses have collapsed in the city, in addition to several churches damaged by the earthquake. 

“I am travelling to Bogotá to focus on managing the emergency affecting our country,” wrote the new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, on X. “To Colombians who are going through difficult times, I want to say: you are not alone. You have a president who cares deeply for his people and who will do whatever is necessary to protect you, support you and move forward together in rebuilding the affected regions. Strong for our country!”, concluded the president. 

“At present, there are no Italians reported to be involved, but we are in constant contact with the local authorities to monitor developments,” wrote Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, on X.

This morning’s earthquake was followed by at least two aftershocks, measuring 2.8 and 4.8 on the Richter scale. This was reported by the Colombian Geological Service (SGC), which considers the event to be one of the strongest earthquakes of the last ten years. “The seismic activity recorded in this area is due to the natural tectonic dynamics of western Colombia, associated, amongst other processes, with the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate,” explains the SGC. For this reason, “this region has experienced earthquakes of considerable magnitude throughout its history. Among the historical precedents is the earthquake of 23 November 1979, which had a magnitude of 7.2”. The tremor was felt across much of Colombia, as well as in Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. Damage has been reported in several areas of the country, particularly in Cali, Quibdó and Manizales.

The first images and videos posted on social media and shared by local media show damaged buildings and parts of structures that have collapsed. Emergency teams are checking for people trapped under the rubble and have begun rescue operations. The airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura in Colombia have been closed “for safety reasons”. “Flight operations at these airports remain suspended pending an assessment of structural damage to the infrastructure,” reads an official statement issued by the Colombian Civil Aviation Authority. 

In Manizales, in the department of Caldas, several buildings have collapsed or sustained serious damage, with debris on the roads and damaged vehicles. Among the affected structures is a cathedral, whilst the El Cable area is reportedly one of the worst-hit. A tower of Manizales Cathedral has collapsed. The earthquake also caused the dome to collapse and the statue of Christ on the central bell tower to fall. Other parts of the structure are also reported to have sustained damage, whilst deep cracks are visible on the sections of the cathedral that remain standing. Images shared on social media and reported by local media show the severe damage sustained by the Metropolitan Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, one of the city’s main architectural landmarks. The church is considered one of the most iconic buildings in the historic centre of Manizales and is recognised as part of Colombia’s architectural and cultural heritage. In 1984, it was declared a National Monument. Construction of the current cathedral began in 1928, after a fire had destroyed the previous church in 1926. In 1951, the church was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Pius XII.