A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing scores and severely damaging thousands of buildings. The quake was the strongest originating in the Andean nation since at least 1990, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The epicenter was in San José del Palmar, in the northwestern department of Chocó, about 240 kilometers (149 miles) west of Bogotá, and tremors were felt in the capital city. Tremors were also evident in neighboring Venezuela, which is still grappling with the impacts of a destructive set of quakes earlier this summer.
The powerful quake ripped through the South American country, striking at the heart of the country’s coffee-growing region and catapulting communities into a state of national disaster.
Numerous buildings have been essentially razed to the ground or severely damaged, particularly in the major cities of Cali and Pereira.
In one video from Pereira, terrified residents can be seen seeking refuge in the middle of an intersection as buildings shake violently around them. They then watch in horror before turning to run from a nearby building as it collapses into the street, spraying plumes of dust and debris towards them.
