Six Airports Report Damage as Authorities Assess Destruction and Injuries Across Several Cities

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook much of Colombia on Monday caused significant material damage in Pereira, capital of the department of Risaralda. The earthquake, which occurred at 7:34 a.m. local time, was centered in the town of San Jose del Palmar, in Choco, at a depth of 82 kilometers, the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) said.

RELATED:

7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Colombia, Causing Damage in Several Cities

At Matecaña International Airport, part of the roof of an area where several people were located fell, although authorities still have no information about people injured or killed.

Videos show the central spire of the San Jose de Pereira church breaking off, while several people who were in the street held onto a police motorcycle and other objects around them as they were shaken by the tremor, amid chaos and confusion among passersby and residents of the area.

Another video recorded in Pereira shows part of a hotel’s facade being destroyed during the earthquake, while the person recording the images says those who were at the location are safe.

In Manizales, capital of the department of Caldas, serious damage was also reported, including building collapses, while the cathedral suffered damage to one of its two towers, which gave way but did not collapse.

Local and regional authorities have not yet commented on the earthquake’s damage, which also caused serious damage in other cities near the epicenter, such as Cali and Medellin.

Six Airports Suffered Earthquake Damage

On Monday, Civil Aeronautics (Aerocivil) reported that at least six Colombian airports suffered damage from the earthquake. “There is damage at the airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura. For safety reasons, air operations at these terminals remain suspended until structural damage to the infrastructure can be assessed,” Aerocivil said.

Injured People and Collapsed Buildings in Quibdo

The earthquake left several people injured and buildings collapsed in the city of Quibdo, capital of the department of Choco, located on the Pacific coast.

“We have just experienced a serious seismic event in the department of Choco. Although the epicenter was San Jose del Palmar, there are injured people and serious damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdo,” Choco Gov. Nubia Carolina Cordoba said on her X account.

De la Espriella Calls Emergency Committee

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella called an emergency committee to address the damage caused by the earthquake and announced that he will travel to Pereira, one of the cities most affected.

“I have ordered the establishment of a Unified Command Post to coordinate assistance for the damage and those affected,” the president said on X. He took office three days ago in the city of Cali, another of the cities most affected by the tremor.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: EFE

IN THIS ARTICLE