Colombia Earthquake: 6.9 Magnitude Quake Jolts Southwest Part Of Country
A strong 6.9 magnitude earthquake shook southwestern Colombia Saturday but officials said there were no immediate reports of damage or deaths.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the quake, which struck at 9:16 (14:16 GMT), was centered 6 miles (10 km) southwest of Pasto, was 80.5 miles deep (130 km) and was felt as far away as Quito, Ecuador 123 miles away.
USGS originally reported the tremor as a 7.0 magnitude earthquake but later downgraded its strength.
Following the temblor, Colombia’s national disaster chief, Carlos Ivan Marquez, said officials had made a damage survey across the country “and fortunately up to this moment we have no reports of human losses.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii added the event did not generate a destructive tsunami.
“A destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected, and there is no tsunami threat to Hawaii.”
The Associated Press notes in the province of Narino, where the quake hit, secretary of government Jaime Rodriguez said officials had reports of three people injured when roof tiles fell in the town of El Charco along the Pacific Coast.
Saturday’s quake comes nearly five years after a 5.9 magnitude temblor rocked central Colombia in May of 2008 collapsing several homes, injuring more than 4,000 and leaving 11 dead.
