A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 hit western Colombia at 07:34 local time. It killed at least 111 people and damaged many buildings in several cities. The earthquake’s centre was near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, and the shaking was felt in Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.

The earthquake happened because underground plates moved deep under the ground, causing the area to shake strongly. Pereira, a city about 55km from the centre, had at least 40 deaths and 65 collapsed buildings. Other cities like Cali and Manizales also suffered damage.

Colombia’s President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a national disaster. This lets the government quickly send resources and rescue teams to help. Search teams are looking for survivors in the damaged buildings, and some people are still missing.