A powerful magnitude 6.3 earthquake has shaken the Colombian capital of Bogota, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The USGS reported on Sunday morning that the quake struck near the city of Paratebueno in central Colombia, about 170 kilometres (105 miles) east of Bogota.
Reporters of the AFP news agency on the ground said buildings shook and sirens sounded around Bogota as people rushed out onto the streets for safety.
People gathered in parks and outside buildings in their pyjamas as parents tried to calm frightened children while others searched for pets that had run away during the tremor.
One elderly woman told AFP that the shake was “very strong” as she made her way down several flights of steps.
The Mayor of Bogota, Carlos Galan, wrote on X that no one was injured in the earthquake, according to preliminary reports.
“At this time, one person is being treated for an anxiety attack and is being transferred to the Central Hospital. So far, minor structural damage and some power outages have been reported, but service has already been restored,” Galan added.
The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ), however, said it was a magnitude 6.5 earthquake, with the epicentre at a depth of 10km (6.21 miles).
Central Colombia, a zone of high seismic activity, has experienced a similar earthquake before, which was recorded as a 6.2 magnitude quake in 1999, claiming nearly 1,200 lives.
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