Powerful 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Rocks Colombia, Buildings

Update: CBS News reports at least 111 people were killed and 87 injured in the earthquake, with Pereira among the hardest-hit cities. The original report, written before the toll was known, follows.

A massive 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia Monday morning, shaking cities across the country and sending people rushing from buildings as reports of serious damage began pouring in.

The earthquake struck at approximately 7:34 a.m. local time near San José del Palmar in Colombia’s Chocó department. The quake was relatively deep, occurring more than 100 kilometers below the surface, but was powerful enough to be felt hundreds of miles away.

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Some of the most serious damage is being reported in Chocó and the city of Pereira, where buildings were damaged and people were injured. Authorities are still working to determine the full extent of the destruction.

The shaking was felt all the way in Bogotá, nearly 200 miles from the epicenter, where alarms sounded and people evacuated buildings. Bogotá officials said there were no reports of major structural damage in the capital as of Monday morning.

The earthquake was so powerful that shaking was also reported across the border in Venezuela.

Despite the enormous magnitude of the quake, the U.S. tsunami warning system reported no tsunami threat.

Colombian emergency officials are now assessing damage throughout the affected region while residents are being warned to remain alert for possible aftershocks.

The situation remains developing, and the number of injuries and extent of the damage could rise as emergency crews reach the hardest-hit areas.

Also reported by: CBS News.