EARTHQUAKES
Colombia earthquake, today August 17: Where was the epicenter and what was the magnitude
Colombia has been hit by a series of earthquakes today, with Bogota and other regions feeling the tremors. The authorities are calling for calm and asking for citizens to take all precautions.
Around noon on Thursday, August 17th, the Colombian Geological Service reported a strong 6.1 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 30 kilometers. According to the agency, the epicenter was located in Meta, but tremors were felt in various parts of the country.
Minutes after the initial quake, an aftershock was felt. As of now, there have been no reports of material damage or casualties. However, authorities are expected to provide updates after conducting further assessments.
The earthquake was strongly felt in the Colombian capital, Bogota, where alarms rang out in numerous businesses and residential complexes, prompting evacuations. Emergency services and authorities are urging the community to remain calm.
“A strong tremor felt in Bogotá. Let’s remain calm and cautious. We are checking the entire emergency reporting and response system. Please take all necessary precautions against potential aftershocks,” wrote Mayor Claudia López on her official ‘X’ account (the service formerly known as Twitter).
Earlier earthquake in Ituango
Earlier the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) reported through its official ‘X’ account another seismic event in the South American country.
According the authorities, the epicentre occurred in Ituango, Antioquia and had a magnitude of 4.3, occurring at a depth of less than 30 km.
It is worth noting that on August 14, the Colombian Geological Service also reported a strong tremor that was felt across a large part of the national territory. That quake had a magnitude of 4.8 and was centred on Tarazá, Antioquia.
As reported by the authorities of the Antioquia municipality, so far no material or human damage has been reported. “So far there are no reports of damages. We are waiting for something new”.
How to report seismic events in Colombia?
The SGC has an online form of multiple choice questions, where people can report their experiences and observations on any seismic event that occurs in the country. Through this tool, citizens have the possibility to evaluate the intensity in different locations.
The authorities have asked users to wait for a few minutes after an event has occurred, in order to ascertain the extent and effects of the earthquake. This information is highly useful for emergency and risk management agencies. For more information, you can consult the page seismosentido.sgc.gov.co.