A morning earthquake shook Bogota on Monday and sent tremors as far away as the border with Venezuela, with officials saying the quake left injuries reported and buildings damaged as assessments began.
The Colombian geological service put the Colombia earthquake at magnitude 6.7 and said its epicenter was in Choco province on the Pacific coast. Colombia's National Unit for Disaster Risk Management gave a slightly lower reading of 6.6, placed the quake at a depth of 79 km near San José del Palmar and said it was in communication with local authorities to verify possible damage.
Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi said many injuries have been reported, adding that there was severe damage to buildings and that damage assessments are underway. The difference between the two magnitude readings does not change the immediate picture on the ground: a strong quake hit a wide area, including Bogota, and officials were still trying to determine how much of the damage was structural and how many people were hurt.
That leaves the most important question for Monday still open. Authorities are checking possible damage, and the number of injuries and the full extent of the destruction will determine how serious this earthquake becomes once the early reports give way to a complete count.
For readers following the latest updates, the developing report is covered in Colombia Earthquake Today: Morning Quake Shakes Bogota, Officials Differ.
