A powerful earthquake struck central Colombia on Sunday morning, unleashing destruction across multiple cities and leaving a trail of chaos in the capital. The 6.3 magnitude tremor, with its epicenter near Villavicencio approximately 80 kilometers southeast of Bogotá, hit at around 10:47 a.m. local time. It shook the ground for nearly 45 seconds and was felt as far away as Medellín and Cali.
The most dramatic scenes unfolded in downtown Bogotá, where a multi-story apartment building partially collapsed, leaning precariously against a neighboring structure. Debris littered the streets below the red-brick residential tower, which suffered catastrophic structural failure. Balconies crumbled, air conditioning units dangled from cracked walls, and exposed steel reinforcements snapped under the force. Emergency responders, including rescue teams and firefighters, coordinated frantically in the foreground amid dust and rubble, supported by emergency vehicles and heavy machinery as search-and-rescue operations intensified.
Authorities have confirmed multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries, with many residents still feared trapped beneath the debris. Emergency services continue working around the clock to locate survivors and stabilize affected areas.
The shallow quake prompted widespread evacuations, power outages, and reports of structural damage across the region. Colombian officials are assessing the full extent of the impact, with aftershocks raising ongoing concerns. Residents in seismic-prone zones are urged to follow safety guidelines and heed official updates from local authorities.
This event underscores the vulnerability of infrastructure in earthquake-active areas along Colombia’s Eastern Cordillera. International aid and monitoring efforts are expected as recovery operations proceed.
