7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes in western Colombia, with early reports of injuries and damaged buildings

Colombian Aviation Authority says multiple airports have been damaged

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, shaking the South American country and neighbouring Ecuador and prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings.

The epicentre was in San Jose Del Palmar, a municipality in the Choco region about 400 kilometres west of Colombia's capital, Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia's counterpart reported. The USGS said it struck at a depth of 107 kilometres.

Choco Gov. Nubia Córdoba said on social media that in the regional capital, "there are injuries and serious damage to buildings," without providing further details.

The Colombian Aviation Authority said damage had been incurred at multiple airports in the country.

Ten years ago, a 7.8-magnitude quake with its epicentre in Ecuador, but also felt in Colombia and Peru, killed more than 650 people.

The temblor follows two back-to-back 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes in Venezuela in late June. Those earthquakes destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.