At Least 111 People Killed in Earthquake in Colombia

Earthquake in Colombia. (Twitter/@weatherchannel)

JAKARTA - More than 100 people were killed and 1,500 houses were damaged by an earthquake that shook Colombia on Monday.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred at a depth of 107 km (66 miles) near San Jose del Palmar, in Choco Province - a sparsely populated region on the Pacific coast of Colombia - but the tremors were felt in major cities across the country, reported Al Arabiya from Reuters (11/8).

President Abelardo de la Espriella said at least 111 people were killed by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook Colombia, CNN reported.

The earthquake also caused at least 87 people to be injured, 61 buildings to collapse, and 1,575 houses to be damaged, he said.

The earthquake also damaged 18 health facilities, 52 educational facilities, 17 community activity centers, and 18 roads.

Emergency teams from across the country are racing against time to rescue people trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

"The priority is to try to save people who are still under the rubble," said President De la Espriella.

He announced he would be heading to Quibdó, the capital of the Chocó department, one of the most affected areas in the country.