A strong 6.2M earthquake hit Colombia just before 4PM on Tuesday. The epicenter was in the central Santander state and sent shock waves through the capital Bogota and the city of Medellin.
Colombians across the country reported having felt the quake.
On social media, Colombians from the southern Tolima state all the way to the northern Magdalena and La Guajira states reported having felt the earthquake.
Damage was reported in the central city of Barrancabermeja and in Bucaramanga, a city of one million located 25 miles north of the earthquake’s epicenter.
Barrancabermeja |
Rumors arose about a possible explosion in an oil refinery in Barrancabermeja, but these were immediately squashed by state-run oil company Ecopetrol.
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In Bucaramanga, 25 miles north of the epicenter, damage was reported and people were massively evacuated from office buildings.
Bucaramanga |
In the capital Bogota, the quake was felt so strongly and for such a long period that offices were also evacuated.
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According to RCN, the Bogota fire department said it had not received any reports of emergencies.
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The epicenter of the quake was on the La Mesa plateau, close to the village of Los Santos. It took place at a depth of 161 kilometers under the surface.
The area where the earthquake hit is one of most seismically active in the world.
Sources
Earthquake summary (USGS National Earthquake Information Center)
