A powerful earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, with tremors felt in the capital Bogotá, across several parts of the country and in neighboring Ecuador, prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) measured the earthquake at magnitude 7.4 and said it occurred at a depth of approximately 115 kilometers. Witnesses in Bogotá told Reuters they felt the shaking.
Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Colombia
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Colombia’s Geological Service initially issued a lower preliminary estimate, measuring the earthquake at magnitude 6.7 and a depth of 82 kilometers. It placed the epicenter near San José del Palmar in Colombia’s western Chocó department.
Later assessments by both the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s geological authorities put the magnitude at 7.4. Both agencies described the earthquake as relatively deep and located its epicenter near San José del Palmar, about 400 kilometers west of Bogotá.
The quake was reported at around 7:34 a.m. local time and was felt in Bogotá as well as Antioquia, Cundinamarca, Meta and other areas, according to local reports. Shaking was also reported across the border in Ecuador.
Residents in parts of Colombia and Ecuador evacuated homes and buildings as the tremors were felt, while emergency authorities activated response and prevention protocols and began assessing possible damage.
Authorities did not immediately report injuries or significant damage.
The earthquake comes weeks after two powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela in late June. Those earthquakes destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.
The varying initial measurements reflected preliminary assessments by seismic agencies, which can be revised as additional data is analyzed.