Powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Colombia kills at least 132, injures about 570

On Monday, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western and central Colombia, killing at least 132 people and injuring about 570 others. According to reports, the tremor hit at 07:34 local time at a depth of 103 kilometers, with its epicenter located near San José del Palmar, an impoverished rural municipality in the Chocó region near the Pacific Ocean.

In response to the disaster, Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national state of emergency—his first since taking office—and traveled to a nearby area. Authorities have warned that the current casualty figures are preliminary, as rescue efforts continue and more people are feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings.