Colombia Declares National Disaster Status After 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake

Colombian authorities have declared a national disaster status following a powerful earthquake that shook the country on Monday (10/8) morning, reported broadcaster Caracol.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella instructed the government and military leadership to ensure the distribution of necessary resources to the affected areas.

The government’s decision to declare a national disaster status is currently still being prepared.

Authorities are also still awaiting the arrival of the first rescue teams in the worst-affected areas.

According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), four Urban Search and Rescue teams from Bogota, Envigado, Yopal, and Medellin have been deployed to assist with the evacuation process.

Earlier the same day, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported that an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 had struck Colombia.

European seismologists later revised the earthquake’s strength to magnitude 7.4. Meanwhile, American experts provided a similar assessment.

The epicentre was reported to be near the city of San Jose del Palmar, in the administrative region of Choco.

To date, the earthquake has killed 111 people.