Powerful 6.3 magnitude quake shakes central Colombia, damaging buildings
PARATEBUENO, Colombia: Buildings swayed, sirens blared and panicked Colombians raced onto the streets Sunday after a shallow 6.3 magnitude earthquake rattled the centre of the country.
The quake struck at 8:08 am about 170 kilometres (105 miles) east of the capital Bogota and was felt across much of the country.
In the town of Paratebueno, not far from the epicentre, AFP reporters saw several partially collapsed buildings, including a whitewashed church with one wall seriously damaged.
Nearby residents picked through the debris of several collapsed zinc-roofed structures.
There were no reports of serious injuries, but authorities were investigating minor damage in several other villages.
In Bogota – a city nestled in the high Andes and home to eight million people – the lengthy jolt prompted sirens to go off and sparked widespread alarm.
Tall buildings visibly moved from side to side, creaking and groaning for almost a minute, while furniture and fittings shook violently.
Thousands of Bogotanos raced downstairs and out of buildings still wearing their pajamas and sought refuge in parks and other open spaces.
Parents tried to calm terrified children, couples hugged and others looked for pets that had run away.
Many were afraid to go back inside as several aftershocks were detected.
"It was a big scare," said 54-year-old Carlos Alberto Ruiz, who left his apartment with his wife, son and dog.
"It's been a while since we felt it this strong here in Bogota," said Francisco Gonzalez, a lawyer who also fled his home.
The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of nine kilometres (5.5 miles) near Paratebueno.
The impact was felt as far away as Medellin and Cali – close to the Pacific coast.
Bogota's security department said on X that emergency workers were conducting a sweep of the city to look for damage and provide assistance.
Bogota's mayor, Carlos Fernando Galan, said all disaster agencies had been activated.
Central Colombia is in a zone of high seismic activity. A 6.2 magnitude quake there in 1999 claimed nearly 1,200 lives.
The country is on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin to South America.--AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
14 hours ago
- The Star
Haj 1446H marks final summer Haj until 2050s, says Saudi National Centre for Meteorology
Muslim pilgrims perform the symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual as part of the pilgrimage in Mina, Saudi Arabia, on June 16, 2024. The next eight Haj seasons will occur during spring. - AFP MINA: Spokesperson for the Saudi National Centre for Meteorology (NCM), Hussein Al-Qahtani stated that this year's Haj season, 1446 AH, marks the end of Haj's association with the summer months. Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that Al-Qahtani noted that the next eight Haj seasons will occur during spring, followed by eight more in winter, then in autumn with gradually rising temperatures, before returning to summer after approximately 25 years. The NCM spokesperson explained that this shift is due to the lunar calendar cycle, which offers pilgrims the opportunity to perform Haj rituals in more moderate weather conditions during the coming years. - Bernama/SPA
Malay Mail
19 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Colombia's capital rattled by strong 6.3 earthquake, minor damage near epicentre
BOGOTÁ, June 9 — Buildings swayed, sirens blared and panicked Bogotá residents raced into the streets yesterday morning, after a shallow 6.3 magnitude earthquake rattled the Colombian capital. The quake struck at 8.08am and was widely felt across central Colombia. Authorities reported minor damage in some villages near the epicentre, about 170 kilometres (105 miles) east of the capital. Local firefighters were investigating reports of a main road being damaged, and cracks and fissures in several buildings including a church. There were no reports of damage or injuries in Bogotá, a city nestled in the high Andes that is home to eight million people. But the lengthy jolt prompted sirens to go off around the city and there was widespread alarm. Tall buildings visibly moved from side to side, creaking and groaning for several seconds, while furniture shook. Thousands of Bogotanos raced downstairs and out of buildings still wearing their pyjamas and sought refuge in parks and other open spaces. Parents tried to calm terrified children, couples hugged and others looked for pets that had run away. Many were afraid to go back inside as several aftershocks were detected. 'It was a big scare,' said 54-year-old Carlos Alberto Ruiz, who left his apartment with his wife, son and dog. 'It's been a while since we felt it this strong here in Bogotá,' said Francisco Gonzalez, a lawyer who also fled his home. The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of nine kilometres near the central city of Paratebueno. The impact was felt as far away as Medellín and Cali — close to the Pacific coast. Bogotá's security department said on X that emergency workers were conducting a sweep of the city to look for damage and provide assistance. Bogotá's mayor, Carlos Fernando Galan, said all disaster agencies had been activated. Central Colombia is in a zone of high seismic activity. A 6.2 magnitude quake there in 1999, not far from Ansermanuevo, claimed nearly 1,200 lives. The country is on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin to South America. — AFP
The Sun
21 hours ago
- The Sun
Powerful 6.3 magnitude quake shakes Bogota, minor damage reported
BOGOTÁ: Buildings swayed, sirens blared and panicked Bogota residents raced into the streets Sunday morning, after a shallow 6.3 magnitude earthquake rattled the Colombian capital. The quake struck at 8:08 am and was widely felt across central Colombia. Authorities reported minor damage in some villages near the epicenter, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) east of the capital. Local firefighters were investigating reports of a main road being damaged, and cracks and fissures in several buildings including a church. There were no reports of damage or injuries in Bogota, a city nestled in the high Andes that is home to eight million people. But the lengthy jolt prompted sirens to go off around the city and there was widespread alarm. Tall buildings visibly moved from side to side, creaking and groaning for several seconds, while furniture shook. Thousands of Bogotanos raced downstairs and out of buildings still wearing their pajamas and sought refuge in parks and other open spaces. Parents tried to calm terrified children, couples hugged and others looked for pets that had run away. Many were afraid to go back inside as several aftershocks were detected. 'It was a big scare,' said 54-year-old Carlos Alberto Ruiz, who left his apartment with his wife, son and dog. 'It's been a while since we felt it this strong here in Bogota,' said Francisco Gonzalez, a lawyer who also fled his home. The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck at a depth of nine kilometres near the central city of Paratebueno. The impact was felt as far away as Medellin and Cali -- close to the Pacific coast. Bogota's security department said on X that emergency workers were conducting a sweep of the city to look for damage and provide assistance. Bogota's mayor, Carlos Fernando Galan, said all disaster agencies had been activated. Central Colombia is in a zone of high seismic activity. A 6.2 magnitude quake there in 1999, not far from Ansermanuevo, claimed nearly 1,200 lives. The country is on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an arc of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates collide that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin to South America.
