A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 20 people and causing widespread damage as emergency teams rushed to search collapsed buildings for survivors.
The earthquake was recorded at a depth of around 100 kilometres, with its epicentre in Colombia's western Choco province, according to geological authorities.
At least 18 people were killed in the city of Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told local media, describing the situation as critical.
Severe damage was also reported in Quibdo, the capital of Choco province, where footage showed collapsed buildings. Officials said the full extent of casualties and damage in the province was not immediately known.
In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, Mayor Alejandro Eder said at least 20 buildings had collapsed and people were trapped under rubble. Authorities were using drones to assess the damage and coordinate rescue efforts.
Images from western Colombia showed damaged and collapsed structures in several cities, including Manizales.
Residents flee buildings
The strong earthquake was felt across a wide area, including Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
In Bogota, residents rushed into the streets as emergency sirens sounded, with some leaving their homes in their pajamas. Authorities ordered evacuations from several buildings as a precaution.
Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said initial reports indicated that damage in the capital was relatively limited, with cracks reported on the facades of some homes and buildings.
"There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house," Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Colombia's coffee-growing region, told AFP.
Another resident, 29-year-old Valeria Polo, described the earthquake as "very, very strong."
Rescue operations underway
Emergency response teams were deployed to affected areas to search through rubble and rescue people believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures.
Six small airports in western Colombia temporarily suspended operations following the earthquake, according to Colombia's civil aviation authorities.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said he would travel to the affected region as authorities continued assessing the scale of the disaster.
Officials said there was no immediate tsunami threat from the earthquake.
The powerful tremor also revived memories of recent major earthquakes in the region. Venezuela was struck by powerful earthquakes in late June that caused extensive damage and thousands of deaths.
Authorities in Colombia continued rescue and assessment operations as further information about casualties and damage emerged.
