National Emergency Declared in Colombia Following Deadly 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia early Monday morning, killing at least 132 people and injuring more than 570 others.

The tremor, which originated near the municipality of San José del Palmar in the Chocó region at a depth of 107 kilometers, severely impacted urban infrastructure across major western cities, including Cali, Pereira, and Manizales.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella officially declared a national state of emergency to expedite funding and mobilize military search-and-rescue teams to affected municipalities. Emergency workers and civilian volunteers are currently clearing debris from collapsed public infrastructure, including a heavily damaged pediatric and neonatal hospital facility in Cali.

The structural damage triggered immediate ground and air logistics disruptions, forcing the civil aeronautics agency to suspend flight operations at six regional airports.

Mild structural tremors and subsequent aftershocks were felt as far as the capital city of Bogotá and neighboring Ecuador, prompting mass precautionary evacuations of high-rise office buildings.

International humanitarian organizations and the U.S. State Department have stated readiness to deploy immediate medical aid and disaster response resources as rescue workers continue searching for missing residents trapped beneath building rubble.