Rescuers work at a collapsed building after an earthquake in the city of Manizales, Colombia, Aug. 10, 2026. The death toll from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday has risen to 111 nationwide, with 87 others injured, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said in Bogota. (COLPRENSA/Handout via Xinhua)

Following a magnitude 7.4 powerful earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday local time and left hundreds dead and injured, the Chinese Embassy in Colombia said early Tuesday that it has yet to receive reports of casualties among Chinese nationals.

In a post published on its official WeChat public account, the Chinese Embassy in Colombia said it attaches great importance to the safety of Chinese nationals in Colombia and activated its emergency response mechanism immediately to conduct a comprehensive check on the impact of the disaster on Chinese nationals. 

So far, no information about Chinese casualties has been received, the embassy said.

According to the Colombian Geological Service, the quake struck at 7:34 am local time in western Colombia. Its epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, in the department of Choco, at a depth of 96 km, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The death toll from the earthquake has risen to 111 nationwide, with 87 others injured, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said in Bogota, per Xinhua.

The Chinese Embassy in Colombia also reminded Chinese nationals in Colombia to stay highly vigilant against secondary earthquake hazards including aftershocks and public health risks.

It also advised those encountering emergencies to promptly contact local police and reach out to the embassy for assistance. 

The Colombian government earlier Monday declared a state of national disaster to respond to the impact of the earthquake, Xinhua reported.

The quake comes less than two months after twin quakes devastated the north of Venezuela, killing more than 6,300 people, the BBC reported, adding that "it is one of its largest earthquakes in years."

Global Times