At least 111 people died and dozens more sustained injuries after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia earlier this week, triggering a state of emergency. The tremor, felt across neighbouring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela, caused widespread infrastructure damage and disrupted transport networks across the coffee-growing Risaralda and Valle del Cauca regions.
Ground Zero in the Coffee Region
When the earth violently shifted in western Colombia, Bay of Plenty photographer David Hall and his wife were resting in the mountain town of Salento, situated roughly an hour south of Pereira. What began as a subtle tremor reminiscent of standard seismic rumbles quickly escalated into a violent, prolonged ordeal.
Here is why that matters for understanding the scale of the event: the shaking lasted for approximately three minutes in full “can’t stand up” mode, according to Hall’s firsthand account shared with SunLive. Caught in rural Colombia where local construction standards varied, the couple fled their accommodation to seek safety in the open street.
“We had to get out of the house, which, let’s face it, was probably quite badly constructed, given we’re in rural Colombia,” Hall recalled. “Once outside, we clung to each other on the road for what seemed like ages. Power lines were swaying, buildings were rocking, and fortunately none of the structures near us came down.”
Escaping the Epicentre as Infrastructure Collapses
While Salento largely escaped catastrophic destruction—sustaining mostly collapsed roofs and dislodged tiles rather than total structural failures—the nearby hub of Pereira presented a vastly different reality. The couple, whose six-week journey through Central and South America had reached its final day, abandoned plans to fly out of Pereira and instead boarded a six-hour bus toward Medellín to escape the danger zone.
Upon reaching Pereira, the devastation became starkly apparent. Power, phone, and internet services were knocked completely offline, leaving emergency responders and residents isolated. Damaged buildings lined the streets, yet local residents immediately began cleanup efforts despite ongoing aftershocks and questionable structural integrity.
“The most amazing thing was seeing people already inside those buildings, starting to clean up. It clearly wasn’t remotely safe,” Hall noted.
National Emergency and Transnational Tremors
Colombian authorities responded swiftly to the crisis, with President Abelardo de la Espriella declaring a state of emergency. According to reports cited by Agence France-Presse (AFP), the death toll reached at least 111, with severe impacts recorded not only in Risaralda and Valle del Cauca but also across major urban centres including Cali and Manizales.
Emergency rescue teams immediately fanned out across the affected departments, picking through rubble to locate survivors. But there is a catch: treacherous conditions and heavily disrupted transport routes severely hampered relief efforts. Several regional airports suspended normal operations, and vital communication lines remained fractured.
| Metric / Detail | Reported Status |
|---|---|
| Earthquake Magnitude | 7.4 |
| Initial Confirmed Death Toll | At least 111 (expected to rise) |
| Epicentre Depth & Location | Western Colombia, approximately 100km depth |
| Hardest-Hit Regions | Risaralda and Valle del Cauca departments |
| Wider Regional Impact | Tremors felt in Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela |
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