Colombia earthquake kills at least 22 as buildings collapse in several cities

Get the latest news and updates from Dawn

At least 22 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia and neighbouring Latin American countries on Monday, bringing down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble, local authorities said.

The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart USGS put the magnitude at 7.4, with an epicentre 100km underground in the west of the country. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6.

The highest reported death toll was in Pereira, a city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where Mayor Mauricio Salazar said 18 people had died. In nearby Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said three people were killed.

“The situation is critical,” Salazar said after the quake centered in neighbouring Choco province.