Phoenix 24
A deep tremor revived the anxiety left by a recent national tragedy.
LOS SANTOS, COLOMBIA
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Colombia on Wednesday morning, shaking several cities across the centre and northeast of the country. The Colombian Geological Service located the epicentre near Los Santos, in the department of Santander, and recorded the event at 11:45 a.m. local time. Its depth was estimated at 149 kilometres.
The tremor was felt in Bucaramanga, Piedecuesta and Floridablanca, as well as in Bogotá, hundreds of kilometres from the epicentre. Emergency alarms were activated in the capital, prompting workers and residents to evacuate several buildings. Preventive evacuations were also ordered in Bucaramanga while authorities assessed the situation.
Initial measurements placed the earthquake at magnitude 5.4 and a depth of 140 kilometres, but these figures were later revised. Despite being widely felt, its considerable depth probably reduced its destructive potential at the surface. Authorities had reported no deaths, injuries or material damage in the first assessments.
The earthquake occurred only 16 days after a magnitude 7.4 disaster struck western Colombia, killing more than 300 people. Although Wednesday’s tremor was significantly weaker and originated in another part of the country, it intensified public concern in communities still processing the earlier tragedy. Emergency agencies continue monitoring for possible aftershocks and have urged the population to follow official information rather than unverified reports on social media.
Earthquakes last only seconds, but preparedness determines what happens afterward.