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Colombia earthquake: 7.4 magnitude tremor causes over 100 deaths
A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, August 10, at 7:34 AM local time. The epicenter was located approximately five kilometers east of San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The seismic event lasted between 90 seconds and two minutes and resulted in more than 100 fatalities and significant material damage in cities including Cali, Pereira, and Manizales.
Experts from the Colombian Geological Service and academic geologists noted that the earthquake was an intraplate event occurring at a depth of approximately 107 kilometers within the Nazca Plate. This depth explains why the tremors were felt across a vast area, including Bogotá, Medellín, and Buenaventura. Unlike typical crustal earthquakes, this rupture occurred within the oceanic plate as it subducts beneath the South American Plate.
Julio Fierro Morales, director of the Colombian Geological Service, described it as the strongest earthquake felt in the country in the last decade. Geologists noted that while the damage was extensive, the significant depth of the earthquake may have mitigated even more severe consequences by attenuating some energy before it reached the surface.
Entities
Chocó · Colombia · Colombian Geological Service · Nazca Plate · San José del Palmar · Servicio Geológico Colombiano · United States Geological Survey
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] This is the strongest earthquake felt in Colombia in the last decade. eldia.com.do
- [● 2 SOURCES] The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4. revistacorrientes.com · eldia.com.do
- [● 3 SOURCES] The earthquake was an intraplate event occurring within the Nazca Plate. revistacorrientes.com · www.diariolibre.com · eldia.com.do
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The earthquake resulted in more than 100 fatalities. revistacorrientes.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The epicenter was located approximately five kilometers east of San José del Palmar, Chocó. revistacorrientes.com · eldia.com.do
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The seismic event lasted between 90 seconds and two minutes. revistacorrientes.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The earthquake occurred at 7:34 AM local time. revistacorrientes.com · eldia.com.do
- [● 2 SOURCES] The earthquake occurred at a depth of approximately 107 kilometers. revistacorrientes.com · eldia.com.do