VIDEOS: At least 20 dead in Colombia's 7.4-magnitude earthquake

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia near San Jose del Palmar on Monday, August 10, killing at least 20 people, injuring others and damaging buildings, Al Jazeera reported.

The quake hit near the municipality in Colombia’s Choco region, about 400km (250 miles) west of Bogota, according to the United States Geological Survey and Colombia’s geological service. Colombia had initially put the magnitude at 6.6, while the USGS said the quake occurred at a depth of about 107km (66 miles).

The US tsunami warning system said there was no tsunami warning. Authorities in Colombia and Ecuador urged residents in affected areas to remain alert as emergency teams assessed the quake’s impact.

The mayor of Pereira said 18 people had died there, according to Reuters. Two people were dead in Manizales, the Associated Press reported, and news outlets aired footage of destroyed buildings in both cities in the Eje Cafetero tourist region.

Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba said on X that authorities were concerned about aftershocks. “Although the epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, there are injuries and significant damage to buildings in the capital, Quibdo. We are already carrying out a damage assessment and will issue the first official report shortly,” she said.

The quake prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters said, while video obtained by an AFP reporter showed a collapsed building in Quibdo. It came weeks after two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela in late June, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying hundreds of buildings.