Dozens confirmed dead after massive quake hits Colombia

A powerful earthquake shook Colombia at around 7:30 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS. The epicenter of the quake was near the small community of San Jose del Palmar in western Colombia’s Choco region, about 250 miles west of Bogota. Local officials on Monday reported that more than 100 people were confirmed dead, but based on the fact that the event occurred in a heavily populated region, the death toll could reach as high as 1,000, according to USGS.

The quake injured an as-yet undetermined number of people and severely damaged buildings in the larger town of Quibdo, roughly 100 miles away from the epicenter, according to regional governor Nubia Cordoba. Videos from other surrounding cities showed some buildings collapsing and others suffering severe damage.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was sworn in Friday in the nearby city of Cali, said he was personally leading emergency response efforts in San Jose del Palmar. He established a unified command post to take stock of the damage and coordinate the government’s response, he said.

How strong was the earthquake? It was a magnitude 7.4 on the Richter scale, and struck at a depth of roughly 66 miles beneath the surface. The depth meant that the shaking was less intense than a shallower quake would be, but its effects were felt over a broader area, according to USGS. It was followed by a magnitude 5.0 aftershock, according to USGS.

Dig deeper: Read my report on De la Espriella’s recent swearing-in as president.