Colombia Earthquake Claims Over 100 Lives, Hundreds of Homes Destroyed

A powerful earthquake struck central Colombia on Thursda…

A powerful earthquake struck central Colombia on Thursday, toppling buildings and trapping residents under rubble, with officials confirming at least 111 fatalities and warning that the number is expected to climb as rescue operations continue through the night.

The 6.1-magnitude tremor, centered near the town of El Calvario in Meta province, hit at a shallow depth of about 30 kilometers, intensifying its impact on the densely populated Andean foothills. Emergency teams, joined by civilian volunteers, worked frantically through debris in towns like Villavicencio and Bogotá, where apartment blocks and schools collapsed like cardboard.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who visited the hardest-hit zones on Friday morning, stated that more than 1,500 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and that the government has declared a state of emergency in three provinces to expedite aid. He called on the military to deploy heavy machinery and field hospitals to the affected areas.

Local hospitals, already strained by the pandemic, are

Local hospitals, already strained by the pandemic, are overwhelmed with hundreds of injured, many with crush wounds and fractures. Doctors performed triage in parking lots, while residents dug with bare hands and shovels to reach neighbors calling for help from beneath concrete slabs.

The quake also triggered landslides that blocked key highways, hampering rescue efforts. In some rural hamlets, entire families remain unaccounted for, and officials fear the toll could rise sharply as communications are restored to isolated mountain communities.

International offers of assistance have poured in from neighboring countries and global agencies, but the immediate focus remains on the desperate search for survivors, with hopes fading as the critical 72-hour window after the disaster approaches.