Colombia quake kills 132; Venezuela toll tops 6,300

At least 132 people were killed and 570 injured after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, collapsing buildings and damaging homes and public infrastructure, authorities said.

The Colombian government declared a national disaster situation to coordinate emergency operations. President Abelardo De La Espriella said 1,575 homes were damaged, including 37 completely destroyed, while 61 buildings collapsed.

The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time (1234 GMT) near San Jose del Palmar in Choco department at a depth of about 107 kilometers (66.5 miles), according to the US Geological Survey. A magnitude 5.0 aftershock followed shortly afterward.

Cali authorities reported at least 20 collapsed buildings, while Manizales recorded deaths and extensive structural damage. Airports and key infrastructure in several cities were temporarily closed for safety inspections.

No tsunami threat was reported for Colombia's Pacific coast, while strong shaking was also felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama.

President De La Espriella ordered a unified emergency command and said the government was mobilizing rescue teams to the worst-affected areas.

Türkiye offers condolences

Türkiye's Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a speedy recovery. The Turkish Embassy in Bogota is monitoring the situation and maintaining contact with Turkish citizens in Colombia.

Venezuela quake toll rises above 6,300

Meanwhile, Venezuela's death toll from magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes on June 24 has risen to 6,301, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said.

More than 73,000 people have received hospital treatment, while 6,462 people have been rescued. Authorities have assessed more than 50,000 homes, with nearly 9,600 classified as high risk.

The government has delivered 287 new homes to displaced families, while cleanup crews have removed more than 483,000 tons of debris.

Source:AA