Death Toll Tops 100 as Colombian Civilians Aid in Rescue Efforts

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(Bloomberg) — Lea en español

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A deadly earthquake hit Colombia on Monday morning, toppling buildings, burying people under rubble and leaving more than 100 dead in the Pacific region and the central Andes.

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The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time near the town of San Jose del Palmar, Choco province, according to the US Geological Survey. Significant damage was reported in the country’s coffee heartland, the region immediately east of the epicenter.

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President Abelardo de la Espriella reported 111 deaths early Monday afternoon, with the total likely to continue rising as rescue teams search for survivors amid the wreckage. He said nearly 1,600 homes had been damaged and 60 buildings collapsed. 

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Some of the hardest-hit areas, particularly the provinces of Caldas and Risaralda, are part of Colombia’s coffee region, responsible for about a quarter of production. It wasn’t immediately clear how the industry would be affected by the quakes, but major roads were closed due to resulting landslides. Colombian aviation authorities said that operations had been suspended at five airports in the affected region. No damage to major energy infrastructure was immediately reported.

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The earthquake is the first major test for De la Espriella, who was sworn in on Friday in a ceremony in Cali, where on Monday at least 19 buildings collapsed, trapping residents under fallen masonry. He initially said he would travel to Risaralda province, scene of some of the most intense damage, then changed his destination to Bogota to coordinate with the National Risk and Disaster Management agency.

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In Manizales, the capital of Caldas, gaping holes in building facades exposed apartments to the street and shattered glass was strewn in front of shops, many of which remained closed. Chunks of concrete and debris blocked sidewalks and roads, creating traffic jams in parts of the city. Downed power lines laid in the streets, while broken pipes disrupted water supply. In some neighborhoods, residential gas service was suspended. 

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Natalia Aguirre, a 40-year-old healthcare worker, said that when the quake hit she ran back to her home to get her children out. They were safe, but “everything inside the apartment was destroyed,” she said. 

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Jacobo Pelaez, a 60-year-old personal trainer in the same neighborhood, said several of the buildings in his residential complex looked uninhabitable. “It’s frightening to go back inside because you don’t know if there will be an aftershock,” he added.

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Sirens echoed through the streets, where police have cordoned off some areas with yellow caution tape. Still, local emergency services in Manizales were overwhelmed on Monday, leaving civilians to help with rescue efforts.