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Monday’s earthquake in Colombia was the country’s strongest recorded “in the 21st century” and was followed by several aftershocks, according to the country’s Geological Service.
Plumes of dust, buildings in ruins
Speaking to AP, Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, said he saw plumes of dust shoot up across the city as buildings collapsed.
“My entire house shook. I’ve never lived through such a powerful earthquake,” he said.
Moncayo’s remarks come as several videos from the Andean nation have emerged showing widespread destruction caused by the earthquake.
Footage from Manizales also showed one of the side towers of the city’s landmark neo-Gothic cathedral collapsing and scattering debris onto nearby streets.
In a separate video, many were trapped under a staircase during the evacuation as the structure collapsed due to the strong tremors.
Several users on social media also compared the scenes from Colombia to “something out of a Hollywood disaster movie.”
A four-story building also collapsed in Pereira during the quake, as shown in videos and images verified by news agency Reuters.
The violent shaking due to the earthquake also caused people to rush out of their buildings to avoid injuries.
“People ran out naked, people jumped from the second floor of their homes”, Wilmer Cuesta, a law student in Quibdo, told news agency AFP.
Due to the scale of the impact, hospitals in five Colombian cities were put on red alert Monday, and a nighttime curfew was declared in Cali.
Furthermore, at least six local airports suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said.
Neighbours step in
Following the devastating earthquake, the US State Department announced it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and other earthquake response aid.
Governments across Latin America also lined up to help as El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said they were ready to assist Colombia.
“From El Salvador, we are in communication and ready to provide immediate support with our rescue teams, medical personnel, paramedics, supplies, or any other assistance that our Colombian brothers and sisters deem necessary,” Bukele said.
Chilean President José Antonio Kast also pledged help, stating that Chile, which is also prone to earthquakes, “knows the pain and the challenge left by earthquakes.”
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