On the 10th at 7:34 a.m. local time (9:34 p.m. KST), a powerful magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck approximately 31 km northwest of Cartago, Valle del Cauca Department, Colombia.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) pinpointed the epicenter at 4.914 degrees north latitude and 76.131 degrees west longitude, with a focal depth of 99 km, indicating it occurred at a relatively deep level.

The earthquake magnitude varied by agency. EMSC initially reported 7.1 before revising it to 6.8, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported 6.8 and the Colombian Geological Survey reported 6.7. Some agencies recorded it as high as 7.4.

Areas near the epicenter include Cartago, with a population of approximately 134,000, as well as Ansermanuevo (12,300 residents) 20 km away and Cairo (3,200 residents) 12 km away. San Jose del Palmar was also identified as part of the epicentral area.

Strong tremors were felt not only across Colombia but also in neighboring countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela. According to Reuters, buildings shook in the capital city of Bogota, hundreds of kilometers away, prompting startled citizens to evacuate. The Associated Press reported that residents in parts of Colombia and Ecuador urgently rushed out of buildings, and tremors were also felt in Venezuela's border regions.

Nubia Carolina Cordoba Curi, governor of Choco Department, stated via the social media platform X that serious damage had occurred to lives, buildings, and other facilities, and urged caution regarding aftershocks. Photos and videos of damage were posted on social media, including cracks on the exterior walls and collapsed railings of the Manizales Cathedral, known as the third-largest cathedral in South America. Images of collapsed building rubble and other damage were also shared.

Following the earthquake, local rescue authorities activated emergency response procedures, but official tallies of casualties and property damage have not yet been released. The GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is also providing relevant information. Seismic observations may vary depending on the agency and analytical methods used, and are subject to future revision.

Colombia is located in a geologically complex region where the South American, Nazca, and Caribbean plates converge. Since 1900, the country has experienced at least 17 earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater. Notably, the 1999 Armenia earthquake claimed more than 1,000 lives.