Colombia Rocked by Deadly Earthquake as Rescue Teams Race Against Time

(Earthquake. Photo Credit: PakistanTV Digital)

Colombia's most powerful earthquake in a decade has claimed at least 132 lives and injured over 570 people, prompting widespread rescue efforts across the western region.

The 7.4-magnitude quake struck cities shortly after 7:30 am, sending residents fleeing into the streets in panic.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, only three days into his term, declared a state of emergency and committed the government to coordinated rescue operations.

Volunteers and rescue workers laboured through the night using basic tools and bare hands to remove rubble and search for survivors.

The city of Pereira, among the hardest struck, experienced widespread power outages that left the area engulfed in darkness as rescue teams worked to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures.

Residents described scenes of devastation, with buildings crumpled, cables strewn across streets, and walls and floors displaced at irregular angles.

In Manizales, the quake damaged a tower of the city's historic neo-Gothic cathedral. Quibdo, capital of Choco department, saw public services and communications effectively cease functioning.

Residents recounted scenes of chaos, with people fleeing homes without belongings and some jumping from upper floors.

Rescuers formed human chains to extract bricks and rubble, pausing periodically to listen for signs of trapped individuals.

A volunteer rescue worker described the journey to affected areas as apocalyptic, with traffic moving in wrong directions as people searched for family members.

The earthquake was felt across Colombia, including in the capital Bogota, where crowds rushed outdoors in sleepwear.

At a depth of 110 kilometres, the tremor also registered in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.

The US Geological Survey attributed the quake to movement along a deep fault within the Nazca tectonic plate.

Hospitals in five Colombian cities activated emergency protocols, and a nighttime curfew was imposed in Cali. At least six airports suspended operations.

Colombian pop star Shakira joined public figures calling for national unity and solidarity.

The US State Department indicated close monitoring and announced $15.5 million in emergency assistance.

The European Union activated its Copernicus satellite service to support rescue operations. Israel, Mexico, Ecuador, and France also offered assistance.

The disaster strikes less than two months after twin earthquakes devastated neighbouring Venezuela, killing over 6,300 people and displacing tens of thousands.