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A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the South American country of Colombia on Monday, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported that the quake struck at a depth of 79 kilometers (over 49 miles), with its epicenter near San Jose del Palmar.
In a social media post, UNGRD stated that the institution is in constant communication with local authorities to verify possible damage.
Choco province Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi stated that many injuries have been reported and there was severe damage to buildings. According to a video shared on social media, a local church in San Jose del Palmar was heavily damaged after the earthquake.
“We have just experienced a major earthquake in the department of Choco. We are concerned about aftershocks. Although the epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, there are injuries and significant damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdo. We are already carrying out a damage assessment and will issue the first official report shortly,” Governor Cordoba-Curi said on X.
The earthquake was also felt in the country's capital, Bogota, according to eyewitnesses. The earthquake led to mass evacuations in the country's most populous city. It was felt as far away as Panama to the north.
Shortly after the initial tremor, the geological service reported an additional magnitude-4.6 seismic incident in the same region.
Despite the significant strength of the quake, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System announced that no tsunami is expected for the US states of California, Oregon, Washington, or Alaska, and also ruled out one hitting the Canadian province of British Columbia.
Similarly, UNGRD stated that there is no tsunami threat.
The quake was felt strongly in nearby areas, prompting residents to evacuate buildings and authorities to initiate damage assessments.
The temblor follows two back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela in late June. Those earthquakes destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.
Details to follow... This is a developing story.
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