Overview
- A powerful earthquake reported at magnitude 7.4 struck near San José del Palmar in Chocó on Monday with an estimated depth of about 100 kilometres, and no tsunami alert was issued.
- Local officials say at least 18 people were killed in Pereira as of the latest provisional counts and rescuers report people trapped and injured in cities including Cali, Manizales and Quibdó.
- Six airports in western Colombia suspended flights while authorities carry out structural inspections and reports of power and mobile network outages have hampered communications in the coffee region.
- President Abelardo de la Espriella has mobilized emergency response teams and travel plans to coordinate the response, and countries including Israel and Mexico have offered assistance as search and damage assessments continue.
- Western Colombia sits on a seismically active zone where deep quakes can cause wide-area shaking; officials warn that casualty and damage figures are provisional and that aftershocks and infrastructure checks could change the picture.