More than 80 people were killed and hundreds injured after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, flattening buildings and causing widespread destruction as authorities warned the death toll could rise.
The epicenter was in San Jose Del Palmar, a municipality in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Colombia's capital, Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia's counterpart reported. The USGS said it struck at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers).
It was felt in Ecuador and as far away as Panama to the north, and prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw.
The earthquake was also felt in the neighbouring countries of Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.
At least 47 deaths were reported in Pereira, police chief Óscar Leonel Ochoa told Radio Caracol.
