Recent seismic activity in South America has led to significant concern, with major earthquakes striking Colombia and Peru. In Colombia, a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit near the capital, Bogota, causing widespread panic and leading to the tragic death of a woman.
The quake was centered near El Calvario, just southeast of Bogota, and was felt strongly throughout the capital. Following the initial quake, dozens of aftershocks rattled the region, but there were no immediate reports of major damage, aside from the heartbreaking incident in Madelena and some structural damage to the Colombian Congress.
In Peru, a powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the northern part of the country, with tremors felt as far as Ecuador and Colombia. This quake occurred in a sparsely populated area of the Amazon rainforest, northwest of Barranca.
Despite the quake’s strength and depth, which typically limits damage but allows the tremors to be felt over a large area, only three minor injuries were reported initially. The quake caused damage to homes and historical structures, including a 16th-century church tower in the Amazonas region, which was destroyed.
These events underscore the significant seismic risk in the South American region, which lies in an active seismic zone. The impact of such earthquakes depends on various factors, including depth, proximity to populated areas, and local infrastructure’s ability to withstand seismic activity.
For more detailed information, you can visit Al Jazeera for the report on the earthquake in Colombia, and The Independent for details on the earthquake in Peru.
