Colombia earthquake death toll hits 132, expected to rise further

At least 132 people have been killed and a state of emergency declared after one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Colombia in years.

The death toll is expected to rise, with more people feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings, Caliber.Az reports via British media.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck on August 10 at a depth of 103 kilometres in Chocó province, according to Colombia’s geological service. The powerful tremor was felt across a vast area, stretching hundreds of miles through western Colombia.

Many of the fatalities were reported in Pereira, a major city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, while surrounding cities and the Valle del Cauca region also suffered significant damage.

The earthquake’s epicentre was located near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó province. However, local mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said there had miraculously been no deaths or injuries in the village, despite damage to roads leading in and out of the area.

More than 480 people were injured in the earthquake, Colombia’s Association of Capital Cities said in an updated statement on August 10.

Located about 55 kilometres from the epicentre, Pereira suffered some of the most severe damage.

Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths in the city’s metropolitan area, with 65 buildings collapsing. People are believed to remain trapped inside 15 of those structures.

In Cali, located around 160 kilometres south of Pereira and approximately 200 kilometers from the epicentre, 32 buildings collapsed.

Tremors from the earthquake were also felt in neighbouring countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.

By Jeyhun Aghazada