▲ The scene of the earthquake in Colombia
When the most powerful earthquake in a decade struck Colombia on the 10th (local time), buildings across various parts of the country completely collapsed or suffered severe damage as if hit by a bomb, leaving local residents gripped by terror.
Footage obtained by U.S. broadcaster CNN captured a four-story building completely collapsing in Pereira, the capital of Risaralda Department in western Colombia.
Pereira is located just about 60 kilometers east of the earthquake's epicenter.
The collapsed building caved in right in the middle of a street dotted with fruit stalls, and residents hastily evacuated amidst thick clouds of dust.
In the Pereira region, footage was also captured showing a portion of the exterior wall of San Jose Church collapsing.
As trees and utility poles swayed violently from side to side and the church building collapsed, pedestrians screamed, grabbed onto one another, and fled.
Some residents even took tools like hammers into the rubble of collapsed buildings to search for survivors themselves.
President Abelardo de la Espriella stated that the death toll from the strong earthquake has been tallied at 111, with 87 injuries.
However, rescue operations are still in their initial stages, and with many people reportedly trapped under building debris, the death toll is expected to rise significantly.
At Matecaña International Airport, used by travelers, ceiling materials crashed down due to the earthquake.
The interior of the airport shook violently as if bombed, and parts of the ceiling caved in everywhere.
Passengers protected their heads and hurried out of the airport.
Colombian aviation authorities stated that following the earthquake, damage reports were received from six airports in the western region, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
According to preliminary analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in the Pacific coastal department of Chocó at around 7:34 a.m. local time on that day (8:34 p.m. KST).
The New York Times (NYT), citing an announcement by the Colombian Geological Survey, reported that this earthquake was the most powerful to hit Colombia in the past 10 years.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※
Copying, redistribution, and unauthorized use in AI training are strictly prohibited.