A massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake slammed into Colombia’s Pacific coast early Monday morning, sending shockwaves across the South American nation and into neighboring countries, with officials confirming injuries and significant structural damage in the hardest-hit regions.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake struck at 12:34:27 UTC (7:34 a.m. local time) at a depth of 107 kilometers (about 66 miles), with its epicenter located just 5 kilometers east of the town of San José del Palmar in the remote Chocó department. The powerful temblor was felt hundreds of miles away in the capital Bogotá, as well as in major cities including Medellín, Cali, Pereira, and Manizales. Strong shaking was also reported in parts of Ecuador, Venezuela, and Panama.
Chocó Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi issued an urgent statement on social media shortly after the quake, declaring: “We have just experienced a major earthquake in the department of Chocó. We are concerned about aftershocks.
Although the epicenter was near San José del Palmar, there are injuries and significant damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdó. We are already carrying out a damage assessment and will issue the first official report shortly.”
Local Colombian authorities initially recorded a lower magnitude of approximately 6.6 to 6.7 before international agencies, including the USGS, confirmed the higher 7.4 reading. Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) said it was coordinating with regional officials to assess the full extent of the damage.
Dramatic Video Footage Captures Chaos on the Ground
Graphic video footage circulating widely online shows the terrifying moments as the ground shook and buildings crumbled.
One clip captures a historic stone church or cathedral with visible cracks racing across its facade and clock tower as bystanders stand on the steps in stunned silence under a clear blue sky. Another extended video shows pure panic outside a medical facility marked “EPS Sanitas” and “Unidad de Urgencias,” where ambulances sit amid swirling clouds of dust and debris.
People cover their heads and run as yellow taxis and emergency vehicles clog the streets. A third video depicts a multi-story building partially collapsing in a thick cloud of dust, with panicked civilians sprinting across the road and others carrying injured people to safety. In a fourth clip from what appears to be a more rural or hard-hit area near the epicenter, large crowds of residents on motorcycles and scooters gather around a heavily damaged structure reduced to twisted rubble and collapsed concrete slabs under gray skies.
Additional footage from cities such as Cali and Manizales shows facades ripped from buildings, a damaged cathedral tower, and residents shouting toward piles of debris where people may remain trapped. In Bogotá, emergency sirens blared as residents, some still in pajamas, poured into the streets. Bogotá Mayor Carlos Galán reported only minor cracks in some buildings and no major injuries in the capital at this time.
Reports indicate at least 20 buildings suffered collapses or severe damage in Cali, according to local officials, while Pereira’s governor described “serious injuries and grave damage.” Manizales, in the coffee-growing region, saw structural failures including damage to a major cathedral. New President Faces First Major Crisis
The disaster comes just days into the administration of newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella, who has already assumed leadership of the emergency response and is expected to travel to the affected zones. Authorities have suspended some flight operations and activated emergency protocols nationwide.
No tsunami threat has been issued by Colombian maritime authorities. This quake follows devastating twin earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 that struck neighboring Venezuela in late June, killing more than 6,000 people. Colombia sits along the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Nazca plate subducts beneath the South American plate, making the region highly seismic. Emergency teams continue searching for survivors and assessing the full toll.
Aftershocks remain a major concern, with at least one magnitude 4.6 aftershock already recorded. Residents across the region are being urged to stay outdoors if their buildings show any signs of damage and to prepare for further tremors.
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