A constellation of cities in the foothills of the Andes sustained heavy damage from a major earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday morning, photos and videos show.
Residents of Colombia’s largest cities, Bogotá and Medellín, reported intense shaking, but both appear to have been spared the worst of the damage.
In Cali, the country’s third-largest city, and other towns in the west, it was another matter, and rescuers there were combing through rubble in search of survivors. More than a hundred people so far have been reported dead.
Here is a look at the most affected areas.
Cali
Major damage was reported in Cali and several cities in the surrounding Risaralda region. Videos and photographs show collapsed buildings and rescue workers working to find survivors.
A large motel near a highway in Cali collapsed into a heap of rubble. Local residents were seen searching for survivors.
Pereira
Pereira, a city of about 500,000 people that is the capital of Risaralda, lies just 35 miles from the epicenter. Widespread damage was seen across the city.
The images below show what happened to a commercial building near the city center.
Elsewhere in central Pereira, a large pile of rubble could be seen on the street. It was once a hotel cross from one of the city’s main parks, near a historic church.
Manizales
Manizales was among the hardest-hit cities. As the ground shook, one of the spires of the city’s metropolitan cathedral toppled over.
Debris was scattered across the sidewalks and streets of commercial areas. Some buildings were partially collapsed, or missing facades.
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