At least 20 people were killed and dozens of buildings collapsed in cities across western Colombia on Monday after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the South American nation. The tremor trapped residents under debris, injured many more, and forced evacuations as far away as the capital, Bogotá.

The earthquake's epicenter was located in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of approximately 4,800 people in the Choco region, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Bogotá. The U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s geological counterpart reported the event, with the USGS indicating a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers). The quake was also felt in neighboring Ecuador.

Local officials confirmed that at least 18 fatalities occurred in the city of Pereira, with an additional two deaths reported in Manizales. Cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo, Cali, and Manizales, suffered significant damage. Residents were seen sifting through the rubble of collapsed structures, with authorities expressing concern about potential aftershocks.

The implications of the quake are significant, with flights suspended at multiple airports including Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura, and Pereira. The widespread destruction and loss of life highlight the vulnerability of the region to seismic activity, prompting immediate rescue and recovery efforts.

Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, described the terrifying experience, noting plumes of dust rising across the city as buildings crumbled. "My entire house shook," he stated. "I've never lived through such a powerful earthquake." Residents and rescue workers in Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, were actively searching for survivors in the debris.

Colombia's Geological Service identified the quake as the highest magnitude registered in the country in the past decade, reporting subsequent aftershocks of magnitudes 2.8 and 4.8. In Pereira, images circulated showing parts of the airport ceiling falling onto travelers, who were seen fleeing in panic through rubble.

Mauricio Salazar, the mayor of Pereira, reported that the city had sustained at least 18 deaths and that numerous individuals were trapped beneath collapsed buildings. In Manizales, a city situated in Colombia's coffee-producing mountains, one of the towers of the city's neo-Gothic cathedral reportedly collapsed onto its nave. Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas confirmed two deaths in Manizales and urged residents to remain outdoors to avoid risks from aftershocks.

Authorities in the Choco region, the quake's origin, reported injuries and damaged buildings in the capital but offered limited details. In Cali, a metropolitan area of 2 million people, Mayor Alejandro Eder stated that residents were trapped in at least 19 collapsed buildings. While small earthquakes are frequent in central and western Colombia, tremors exceeding magnitude 6.0 are rare.