De la Espriella will travel to Pereira to address the earthquake emergency

The president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, reported that he has “directly assumed the leadership of the emergency response” following the powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the western part of the country and stated that he will travel to the city of Pereira (Risaralda), where severe damage has been reported.

“I will be personally in Pereira to accompany those affected and verify the Government’s response. You are not alone. The State is present and taking action,” wrote the newly inaugurated president on his social media.

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The seismic event occurred 20 kilometers from San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, with a depth of 96 kilometers, and was strongly felt in nearby entities such as Antioquia, Risaralda, and Valle del Cauca.

Images are circulating on social media of the severe damage in Pereira, a city located in the central Andes mountain range, where the event was felt with the greatest intensity.

So far, according to the mayor of the Risaralda capital, Mauricio Salazar, 18 deaths have been reported.

Impacts in Pereira

Among the most significant damages are those that occurred at the Matecaña International Airport, where part of the ceiling collapsed.

Likewise, a video captured the collapse of a three-story building in the capital of Risaralda.

According to the reports circulating on social media, there is damage to various buildings, houses, structures, and health institutions. The videos show both damage to facades and the collapse of structures.