Panic in Colombia: 7.4 Quake Damages Buildings, Traps Residents

Video from Pereira airport in Colombia shows violent shaking during a magnitude 7.4 earthquake leading to utter panic as the building starts to fall apart.

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Powerful Earthquake Strikes Choco Province, Colombia; Buildings Damaged

A morning earthquake shook large parts of Colombia, including capital Bogota, on Monday, prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings, and causing at least 69 deaths.

At least 20 people were killed after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake jolted Western Colombia on Monday, news agency Reuters reported. Dozens of buildings collapsed, and residents were trapped under debris, leaving injured people and forcing people to evacuate their homes.

The epicentre was in San Jose Del Palmar, which is a community of about 4,800 people 400 kilometres west of Bogota. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at a depth of 107 kilometres. The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Ecuador.

18 of the people killed were from the town of Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio. He also said that the situation was "critical".