A magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia has resulted in over 100 fatalities, reviving memories of a devastating earthquake from 27 years ago that killed nearly 1,200 people.
According to reports from Reuters and other sources, the earthquake occurred on August 10 at 7:34 a.m. local time near San José del Palmar in Chocó province. As of now, at least 111 people have died and 87 have been injured. The Colombian Geological Survey has classified this earthquake as the strongest recorded in Colombia in the 21st century.
The most significant casualties have been reported in Risaralda, a key coffee-producing region. In the capital city of Pereira, a four-story building collapsed, while in nearby Manizales, part of the neo-Gothic cathedral, a city landmark, also fell. Airports in Pereira, Manizales, and Armenia temporarily halted operations for safety inspections.
Risaralda, Quindio, Caldas, and Valle del Cauca are prominent coffee-growing areas in Colombia. The UNESCO World Heritage site known as the 'Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia' spans these four provinces, including Pereira, Armenia, and Manizales.
This region had previously suffered extensive damage from a major earthquake 27 years ago.
According to historical records from the Colombian Geological Survey, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the coffee region on January 25, 1999, at 1:19 p.m., with a depth of 21.6 kilometers. The quake devastated the city of Armenia in Quindio.
The Geological Survey reported that 921 people died and 5,377 were injured in Armenia alone, with over 21,000 homes damaged or destroyed.
The overall impact was even greater. Data from the World Bank in 1999 indicated that 1,185 people died, 8,000 were injured, and approximately 150,000 were left homeless. Subsequent World Bank reports varied in injury counts, estimating around 9,000, but consistently recorded 1,185 fatalities. The U.S. Geological Survey also confirmed at least 1,185 deaths from that earthquake.
The recent earthquake differs from the 1999 quake in both epicenter and depth. The 1999 earthquake occurred at a relatively shallow depth of 21.6 kilometers within the coffee region, while the recent quake's epicenter is near San José del Palmar in Chocó. Therefore, there is currently no evidence to suggest that the two earthquakes are related or occurred along the same fault line. However, cities in the coffee region, including Pereira, Armenia, and Manizales, which experienced significant damage in 1999, have again faced strong tremors and structural damage.
As of now, the specific impact of the earthquake on Colombia's coffee farms, production, and exports remains unclear. As rescue and damage assessments continue, further evaluations of the earthquake's effects on the coffee industry are necessary.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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