The death toll after a strong earthquake that rocked western Colombia on Monday has risen to at least 20, authorities said.
In the town of Pereira, 18 people were killed and others were trapped in buildings that collapsed, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio.
A strong earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, with the US Geological Survey (USGS) initially measuring the tremor at magnitude 7.4.
The earthquake occurred at 12:34 UTC, or around 7:34 am (local time), about 5 km east of San Jose del Palmar in Colombia’s Choco department, the USGS said. It was recorded at a depth of about 107 km.
However, the earthquake’s magnitude was measured differently by the US Tsunami Warning System, which put it at 7.1. The system said there was no tsunami warning after the quake struck Colombia. The tremor was felt in several parts of Colombia, including areas far from the epicentre. Early reports also indicated shaking was felt beyond Colombia, including towards the Venezuela border.
