Colombia quake death toll climbs to 132

Colombia's death toll from a powerful earthquake climbed to at least 132 on Monday, with more than 480 people injured and rescuers warning the figure could rise further as an unknown number remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings across the country's western coffee-growing region.

The magnitude-7.4 quake struck at 7:34 am local time, its epicentre near San José del Palmar in Chocó province at a depth of roughly 103 kilometres, according to Colombia's geological service, sending tremors across a wide swathe of western Colombia and as far as neighbouring Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama. Pereira, some 55 kilometres from the epicentre, bore the brunt of the destruction, with at least 65 buildings collapsed -- including one at the city's central Plaza Bolívar -- and roughly 15 sites where people are feared trapped; the metropolitan area alone accounts for at least 40 deaths, prompting authorities to impose a curfew there until 5 am Tuesday. Further destruction was reported in Cali, 160 kilometres to the south, where 32 buildings came down, as well as in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín and Valle del Cauca, while even distant Bogotá felt strong shaking that swayed trees and traffic signals, though without major structural damage.

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President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a national disaster, unlocking emergency powers as authorities confirmed more than 1,500 homes damaged and several regional airports, including those serving Pereira, Manizales and Quibdó, knocked out of service. Rescue operations are underway to reach those trapped in the rubble, with the United States saying it is monitoring the situation and ready to assist if needed, and the European Union offering satellite support through its Copernicus programme; the US Geological Survey estimated roughly 1.5 million people felt the quake's strong shaking, noting that despite its considerable depth -- which typically limits surface damage relative to shallower quakes -- the tremor's magnitude was sufficient to inflict serious structural harm.