6.3 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks shake Colombian capital

A strong earthquake, along with three aftershocks, rattled Colombia’s capital, Bogota, along with other cities on Thursday, August 18.

Furthermore, the main shock measured a 6.3 moment magnitude according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), while having a depth of 10 kilometers and location about 16 kilometers north of Cumaral.

The earthquake was soon after followed by an aftershock that measured a 5.7 moment magnitude, as well as two smaller ones of 5 and 4.8 magnitudes during the evening of the same day.

In Bogota, reports were made of people hasting out of buildings and a part of Colombia’s House of Representatives ceiling detaching but causing no injuries.

According to the Bogota fire department’s deputy director, Paula Henao, the only casualty was a person who jumped from a building’s seventh floor after panicking.

Finally, the earthquake was felt in other large cities, such as Medellín and Cali, while a landslide was reported in Villavicencio.