Colombia Reels After Massive 7.4 Quake Leaves 132 Dead and Cities in Ruins

The quake struck at 07:34 local time, its force rippling hundreds of miles across western Colombia. The country’s geological service confirmed the epicentre near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, where remarkably qlocal officials reported no casualties despite severe road damage cutting off access to the village.

The worst devastation unfolded in Pereira, Colombia’s coffee-growing heartland. More than 40 people have been confirmed dead in the metropolitan area alone, with 65 buildings collapsed and at least 15 believed to have people trapped inside. A curfew has been imposed in parts of the city until early Tuesday as emergency crews continue their search through unstable debris.

In Cali, around 160km south of Pereira, the destruction was similarly severe. Local authorities reported 32 collapsed buildings, leaving residents shaken and streets littered with rubble. Among them was Dan Cutler, a 29‑year‑old Londoner travelling through Colombia. He described waking to violent shaking that sent him and his partner sprinting outside in their pyjamas. Their hotel survived without major structural damage, but cracks and peeling plaster now mark the walls a stark reminder of the quake’s power.

Across the country, more than 480 people have been injured, according to Colombia’s Association of Capital Cities. Hospitals are overwhelmed, emergency shelters are filling fast, and rescue teams are working through aftershocks to reach remote communities.

Colombia has endured earthquakes before, but the scale of this disaster its reach, its casualties, its destruction marks it as one of the most powerful in years. As night approaches, the nation braces for more aftershocks and prays for survivors still waiting beneath the ruins.