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A magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia has killed at least 234 people and injured more than 1,300, while newly released footage from Manizales shows collapsed buildings, debris-covered streets and damage to a church as emergency operations continue across several cities.
Footage released by the Manizales Mayor's Office on Aug. 11 showed extensive destruction across the city, including heavily damaged buildings and rubble blocking streets. Municipal authorities said teams were working to assist affected families while carrying out emergency response operations.
According to the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, known as Asocapitales, 153 buildings have collapsed in affected regional capitals as search-and-rescue teams continue to work through the hardest-hit areas.
Cali has recorded the highest death toll so far, with 95 fatalities, followed closely by Pereira with 90. Quibdo and Manizales have also reported deaths.
Authorities in Cali said 86 people had been rescued following the earthquake, while a preliminary city assessment listed hundreds of people as injured or reported trapped. Dozens of structures were recorded as having either completely or partially collapsed, alongside wider damage to buildings and homes.
Search-and-rescue efforts are being coordinated from a Unified Command Post in Cali, a centralized emergency center bringing together authorities and response teams. Specialized crews from other cities have also been brought in to reinforce operations.
In Quibdo, nine deaths have been reported, while damage has affected homes as well as educational, health and airport infrastructure, including the Technological University of Choco and the city's airport.
Asocapitales said it was working with local authorities to identify urgent needs and help coordinate the response. It also warned residents not to enter buildings showing visible signs of damage until specialists have determined that they are structurally safe.
The Transportation Ministry said airports in Cali, Quibdo and Armenia had returned to operation after being closed following the earthquake.
Runways in Pereira, Buenaventura, Cartago and Manizales are also available for humanitarian and state flights, although restrictions on commercial services remain in place.
President Abelardo De La Espriella arrived in Pereira to meet Mayor Mauricio Salazar at the Unified Command Post and was expected to travel on to Manizales, according to local media.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Miguel Gomez told lawmakers that the government intends to put an economic emergency in place to strengthen recovery efforts, according to Bloomberg.
Colombia has already declared a national disaster situation, allowing authorities to step up the mobilization and coordination of institutions responding to the crisis.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed solidarity with Colombia and said the United Nations was coordinating with local authorities to support the government's emergency response.
"I wish a speedy recovery to all those affected, as reports emerge of collapsed homes & other significant damage, and as the authorities work to assess the full impact," Guterres said.
The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, with its epicenter about 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) east of San Jose del Palmar, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake originated at a depth of 107 kilometers.
A magnitude 5.0 aftershock followed less than an hour later near San Jose del Palmar, a municipality in Colombia's Choco Department.
Authorities stressed that casualty and damage figures remain preliminary as rescue crews continue searching affected areas and carrying out structural and damage assessments.
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