A powerful earthquake struck Colombia and neighboring Latin American countries on Monday, killing at least 18 people in initial reports and causing widespread destruction as stunned residents surveyed the damage.
News footage showed collapsed buildings across western Colombia, while officials said there was no immediate threat of a tsunami.
At least 18 people were killed in the city of Pereira alone, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio, describing the situation as “critical.”
The governor of Colombia’s Chocó province said on X that the provincial capital, Quibdó, had suffered serious damage, with videos showing collapsed buildings across the city. Chocó was near the epicenter of the earthquake, though the number of casualties in the province was not immediately known.
In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings had collapsed and people were trapped beneath the rubble. He described the damage as extensive and said authorities were using drones to assess affected areas.
News outlets also broadcast images of destroyed and heavily damaged buildings in other cities, including Manizales.
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