🔥♒︎ 7.4-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE HITS COLOMBIA AND ECUADOR » AT LEAST 111 DEAD » DOZENS OF BUILDINGS COLLAPSED AND HUNDREDS INJURED❗
✔️A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (August 10), causing deaths, injuries, collapses, and chaos in several cities. The tremor was also felt in Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
✔️The epicenter was in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in the Chocó department, about 250 miles west of Bogotá.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella confirmed at least 111 deaths and declared a national disaster to mobilize emergency resources.
✔️More than 1,600 buildings were damaged nationwide. In Cali (Colombia’s third-largest city), Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings collapsed, with people trapped in the rubble.
Rescue teams have set up tents to coordinate the search operations. In the Valle del Cauca department, Governor Dilian Francisca Toro confirmed 27 deaths, including three children. In Chocó, the governor reported 12 deaths and 84 injuries. In Pereira, 18 people died.
✔️In Manizales, at least 2 people died. The airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura suspended operations due to structural damage. Witnesses described the quake as extremely strong and prolonged. Many reported difficulty getting out of buildings and fear of aftershocks. Colombia’s Geological Service classified the event as the strongest in the country this century.
📋⚠️Context and Impact
The tragedy occurs less than two months after strong earthquakes in Venezuela that left thousands dead. The death toll in Colombia could still rise as rescue teams continue working amid the rubble.
How can Latin America better prepare for major natural disasters like this one? What stood out to you most about this tragedy?
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