A major earthquake hit Colombia on Monday morning, burying people under rubble and causing severe damage to buildings and infrastructure in the western part of the country.
The magnitude-7.4 quake struck near the town of San Jose del Palmar, in Choco province, according to the US Geological Survey. There was at least one aftershock, but no tsunami warning.
Nearly 80 people have been reported killed so far.
Local media showed images of people trapped under fallen masonry. In nearby Manizales, a cathedral tower was knocked over. Civil defence, firefighters and volunteers were trying to rescue trapped people.
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Residents dig through the debris of a collapsed building in Cali, Colombia, after an earthquake. Reuters -
View of a damaged building in Manizales. The powerful quake rocked Colombia and some neighbouring countries. AFP -
Damage to Manizales Cathedral. AFP -
A damaged building in Cali. AFP -
Members of an urban rescue team at work in Manizales. AFP -
A collapsed building in Cali. Reuters -
A woman prays on a street in Cali. AFP -
A police officer walks past debris in Manizales. AFP
There were reported cracks in buildings in Medellin and Cali, the nation’s second and third-largest cities. The earthquake also rocked buildings in Bogota, causing some residents to flee into the streets while still in pyjamas. There were no immediate reports of damage, according to the capital’s mayor.
Colombia's civil aviation authority said flights were suspended at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura while inspectors checked for structural damage.
The disaster comes after devastating twin earthquakes hit Venezuela in June, killing more than 6,000 people.
It also comes days after Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, was sworn in, presenting the first major test for his administration.
Mr de la Espriella's government has declared a situation of natural disaster.
