Now Reading: Colombia quake toll crosses 69, may top 1,000
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Colombia quake toll crosses 69, may top 1,000
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 69 people, Hindustan Times reports, while AP and others put the death toll at 47. The epicentre was near San Jose…
The Story in Brief
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 69 people, Hindustan Times reports, while AP and others put the death toll at 47. The epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar in Choco province, about 400 km west of Bogota, at a depth of 79-107 km. Tremors were felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
In Cali, at least 20 buildings collapsed, trapping residents; Pereira reported 18 deaths and Manizales at least two. Colombia's geological service initially reported a 6.6 magnitude. USGS estimates say fatalities could exceed 1,000 in a worst-case scenario. President Abelardo de la Espriella has set up an emergency centre at the epicentre, and six airports suspended flights.
The Indian Opinion
The quake's death toll is rising, but the wide range in official numbers – 47 versus 69 – shows how shaky initial disaster data can be. Do not let the USGS's worst-case estimate of over 1,000 deaths become the headline; such models often overstate for shallow, populated zones, and this quake was fairly deep. The real test will be the next 48 hours: how quickly rescue teams reach Choco's remote towns and whether older buildings there, not just Cali's towers, held up. Watch for the UNGRD's first official damage report, due soon, for a truer count.
Sources (5): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, hindustantimes.com, hindustantimes.com (2), siasat.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 5 sources.
