Major earthquake strikes Colombia – authorities report more than 100 dead

Government establishes crisis unit

In Pereira, one of the hardest-hit cities, rescue teams were working at full speed to recover further trapped individuals, according to authorities. Eyewitnesses reported collapsed residential buildings and damaged roads. Hospitals in the region prepared to receive a large number of injured people.

The Colombian government activated national emergency plans and requested support from international partners. Search-and-rescue teams as well as specialized units were dispatched to the affected areas. At the same time, appeals for donations for the victims and their families were launched.

The department of Chocó, a structurally weak region in western Colombia, was particularly severely affected according to local authorities. Many buildings there had not withstood the tremors. Emergency teams struggled with the remoteness of some locations and damaged access roads, hampering the delivery of aid.

Department of Chocó particularly hard hit

The impact of the quake was also clearly felt in the capital, Bogotá. Residents reported strong tremors that shattered windows and drove people into the streets. Several public buildings were evacuated as a precaution and inspected for structural damage.

Authorities warned the population about aftershocks, which could cause further damage to already compromised structures. Emergency shelters were set up in several cities to temporarily accommodate families who had been left homeless. Power and water supplies were disrupted in some neighborhoods.

Given the scale of the disaster, the government called for nationwide solidarity. Aid organizations pooled their efforts to transport food, medicine and protective equipment to the crisis regions. International assistance, including offers from neighboring countries, was being coordinated.

The joint crisis unit in San José del Palmar was intended to serve as a central hub for situation assessment, resource allocation and communication with the population. President de la Espriella also announced financial support for the victims' families and said that reconstruction in the affected regions would be pushed forward as a priority.

Aftershock warning and appeals for aid

Observers pointed out that Colombia lies in a seismically active zone and that earthquakes of this magnitude occur at irregular intervals. The current disaster underscored once again the need for stricter building codes and improved early-warning systems to better protect human lives in the future.

As rescue operations continued, concern grew over those still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. Authorities stated that the search would go on without interruption and that every person rescued was a sign of hope amid the tragedy.

Representatives of the national and local administration stressed that all available resources were being mobilized to deal with the consequences of the quake. A final tally of the damage and casualty figures was not expected for several days.