BOGOTA, Colombia — A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia's Pacific Coast on Monday, causing injuries and structural damage in the provinces of Choco and Risaralda. The quake was felt widely, reaching Bogota and extending into neighboring Venezuela.
Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said she was monitoring aftershocks following the quake. She confirmed injuries and building damage in Quibdo, the provincial capital, despite the epicenter being near San Jose del Palmar. Cordoba-Curi said an official damage assessment was underway and a first report would be issued shortly.
In adjacent Risaralda province, Governor Juan Diego Patino described severe damage to buildings in Pereira, the provincial capital. Patino told local Blu Radio that the situation was very serious, with injured people and collapsed building facades visible across the city.
Colombia's geological service initially reported a lower magnitude but revised it upward to 7.4. The service set the earthquake's depth at 96 kilometers, correcting an earlier figure of 79 kilometers.
The U.S. tsunami warning system confirmed no tsunami warning was issued for the region, offering relief to coastal communities.
Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said it was in direct contact with local authorities across the affected areas and was working to verify the full extent of damage and coordinate response efforts.
Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on X that the capital suffered no major damage.
The earthquake's reach extended beyond Colombia's borders. Witnesses in Venezuela's border state of Tachira and the central-western city of Barquisimeto reported feeling the tremor.
The quake follows twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela in June, killing more than 6,000 people. Those quakes primarily affected coastal areas near Caracas.
