Bogota: At least 18 people died in Pereira in western Colombia in the 7.4-magnitude earthquake, city mayor Mauricio Salazar said on Monday in an interview with Caracol Radio.
A 7.5-magnitude earthquake jolted Colombia at 8:34 p.m. on Monday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC), Xinhua News Agency reported.
The epicentre was monitored at 4.85 degrees north latitude and 76.15 degrees west longitude. The earthquake struck at a depth of 80 km, the centre said.
According to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 jolted Colombia at 1234 GMT on Monday.
The epicentre, with a depth of 93.7 km, was initially determined to be at 4.86 degrees north latitude and 76.19 degrees west longitude.
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella said that he assumed leadership of the emergency response in San Jose del Palmar and ordered the establishment of a Unified Command Post at the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) to coordinate the attention to the damages and the affected individuals.
The President also noted that he requested the UNGRD director for a detailed report on the situation and the most urgent needs.
“I will also be personally in Pereira to accompany the affected people and verify the Government’s response. You are not alone. The State is present and acting,” he noted on X.
He also mentioned that he is heading to Bogota to focus on addressing the emergency in the country.
The President said that he wil will personally lead the actions to assist the communities of Chocó, the Coffee-Growers’ Axis, and all affected areas from the Unified Command Post.
“To the Colombians who are going through difficult times today, I want to say: you are not alone. You have a President who cares deeply for his people and who will do everything necessary to protect you, support you, and move forward together in rebuilding the affected regions,” Esperella stated on X.
(IANS)
