A powerful earthquake centered near San José del Palmar in Chocó department shook Colombia on Monday, prompting radio stations to evacuate on air.
10:18 PM
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, August 10, with its epicenter located near the municipality of San José del Palmar in Chocó department. The tremor was felt across multiple cities including Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali at approximately 7:34 a.m. local time.
The earthquake forced live radio broadcasts to be interrupted as journalists and staff evacuated their studios. At Radio Tropicana in Cali, the team broadcasting the program "Cómo amaneció Cali" initially attempted to continue reporting on the earthquake's intensity while on air. The program's hosts were interviewing Alejandro Éder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, when the shaking intensified. As the magnitude reached 7.4, the tremors became too severe to remain in the studio, and staff members evacuated. Video footage from the broadcast showed microphones swaying as the earthquake struck.
At Blu Radio, journalists stationed across the country recorded their reactions to the tremor. A columnist reporting from Bogotá was describing the strong movement felt in the capital when the earthquake's effects became pronounced. The conductor, Ricardo, called for calm as the situation developed in the studio.
In Bogotá, the earthquake caused the studio to visibly shake during a live broadcast, with personnel issuing evacuation calls. Reports from the affected areas documented damaged buildings, destroyed vehicles, and broken glass scattered across streets, particularly in Cali where panic was notably recorded during the seismic event.
A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia early Monday, killing at least 111 people and injuring 87 others, prompting President Abelardo de la Espriella to declare a nationwide state of emergency.
A strong earthquake centered near Calama in Antofagasta region left over 27,000 without power and caused infrastructure damage across four northern regions.
A powerful earthquake hit Kumamoto Prefecture on Kyushu on Tuesday, damaging infrastructure, trapping people in a shopping mall, and prompting a military response.
More than 30 attacks in southwestern Colombia killed 21 people and wounded 56 others over the weekend, occurring weeks before the May 31 presidential election.
A 4.6-magnitude aftershock struck northern Venezuela on Monday, five days after twin earthquakes killed at least 1,450 people and left tens of thousands missing.
A strong earthquake hit southern Italy early Tuesday, centered offshore in the Tyrrhenian Sea near Calabria at a depth of about 250 kilometers.
