47 people were killed in a powerful earthquake that struck the western part of Colombia, a South American country, on Monday. In addition, many buildings collapsed and were reduced to rubble in various cities due to this natural disaster.
The earthquake, which had its epicenter in the San José del Palmar area in the Chocó region, about 400 km west of the capital Bogotá, was recorded at 7.2 on the Richter scale.
Due to this earthquake, which occurred at a depth of about 107 km below the Earth’s surface, the western Colombian cities of Pereira, Quibdó, Cali, and Manizales have suffered extensive damage.
27 people died in the Valle del Cauca province, which includes Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, 18 in the city of Pereira, and 2 in the city of Manizales. With many others seriously injured and trapped in the rubble, the death toll is feared to rise further.
As successive tremors were felt, people left their homes and took shelter in safe places. Although the tremors of the earthquake were also felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama, no major damage was reported there.
President’s assurance: Abelardo de la Espriella, who has taken office as Colombia’s new president, announced on Monday that he has brought the earthquake relief and rescue operations under his direct supervision.
Intensifying emergency measures in San José del Palmar, the epicenter of the disaster, he reassured the nation, saying, ‘The government stands with you; appropriate measures are being taken.’
Before the tragedy could fade away...: Even before the sorrow of the neighboring country Venezuela, where more than 5,000 people died in a series of earthquakes at the end of last June, could subside, a similar disaster has struck Colombia as well.
Although powerful earthquakes are rare in Colombia, it is noteworthy that more than 1,100 people died in the 1999 earthquake near the city of Armenia.