A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing injuries and significant damage in the Pacific province of Choco and prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings. The tremor was also felt in the capital Bogota and as far away as neighbouring Venezuela and Ecuador.The epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar, about 400 km west of Bogota. Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), said the quake had a magnitude of 6.6 and struck at a depth of 79 km.Choco Governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said there were injuries and significant damage to buildings in the provincial capital, Quibdo, while authorities began assessing the impact. She also warned of possible aftershocks. “We have just experienced a major earthquake in the departmentof Choco. We are 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,” governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi said on X.The UNGRD said it was in contact with local authorities to verify the extent of the damage.
