BOGOTA, Aug. 11 (Alliance News): The death toll from a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia has risen to 111, while 87 people were injured and several others remain trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings, according to local authorities.
The strong earthquake caused widespread destruction across several cities, bringing down residential and commercial buildings and triggering large-scale rescue operations.
Emergency workers continued searching through the debris in an effort to locate survivors and recover those trapped under collapsed structures.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake measured 7.4 on the Richter scale and struck off the Pacific coast in the sparsely populated Chocó Province. The quake occurred at a depth of 107 kilometres.
Colombian authorities declared a national emergency following the disaster as rescue and relief operations intensified across the affected areas.
Addressing the nation, the president announced the enforcement of emergency measures and said the government was mobilising all available resources to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver relief wherever needed.
Officials warned that the casualty toll could rise further as rescue teams continued clearing debris in the hardest-hit areas.
