Colombian Earthquake Collapses 19 Buildings in Cali City

ILLUSTRATION VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - An earthquake in Colombia caused the collapse of 19 buildings in the city of Cali. Rescue teams are working at the scene evacuating people trapped in the rubble.

The cities of Cali and Pereira in western Colombia experienced communication problems. The community had difficulty contacting emergency services because the telephone lines were overloaded.

RIA Novosti correspondents, also reported by ANTARA, Monday, August 10, also reported communication disruptions in several cities in the country, including the capital Bogota, where signals periodically disappear.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center previously called the Colombian earthquake a magnitude 6.8.

European seismologists then raised the magnitude of the earthquake to 7.4, while US experts gave a similar assessment. The epicenter was reported to be located near the city of San Jose del Palmar in the Choco Department.