A magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck Colombia’s northeastern Santander department on Wednesday, causing precautionary evacuations in buildings in Bogotá and Bucaramanga as the tremor was felt across several regions.
The Colombian Geological Service initially measured the earthquake at magnitude 5.4 before revising it to 5.1. The epicenter was located near Los Santos at a depth of 149 kilometers.
The earthquake was felt in Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Medellín and nearby municipalities. In Bogotá, residents and workers temporarily left offices and public buildings and gathered in open areas. Similar precautionary evacuations were reported in Bucaramanga.
Authorities said there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries. Los Santos Mayor Diego Armando Mendoza said the earthquake caused concern among residents, while minor problems were reported at a few homes.
Several smaller earthquakes had also been recorded in different parts of Colombia earlier that day, including tremors in Chocó, Bolívar and Santander.
The latest earthquake occurred about two weeks after a powerful magnitude 7.4 quake hit western Colombia on Aug. 10. That earthquake reportedly killed at least 321 people, injured more than 4,500 and caused extensive damage, particularly in Chocó.
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