Source : Xinhua | English.news.cn
BOGOTA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were injured and about 2,000 homes destroyed or damaged by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake which shook southwest Colombia Saturday, national relief agencies said Sunday.
None of the people were seriously injured, said the relief agency. However, 100 homes were completely destroyed while some 1, 900 homes sustained damages.
Most of the injuries and house damage occurred in the provinces of Narino and Cauca, Carlos Iva Marquez, director of the National Disaster Management Office, told RCN Radio.
"The injured are recovering," said Marquez, adding "the provinces of Narino, Cauca, Risaralda and Quindio have priority as recovery efforts advance."
Marquez said a healthcare center and 10 schools were among those damaged, and the authorities are continuing to monitor the situation.
"I would like to confirm that there have been no deaths or missing persons, and there are no reports of serious damage," he said.
According to the United States Geologic Service (USGS), the quake hit at 9:16 am local time (14:16 GMT) Saturday, registering 6.9 on the Richter scale.
The quake occurred at a depth of more than 129 kilometers, and its epicenter was located in a rural region of southwest Narino called Ospina. Tremors were felt in 11 different provinces including capital Bogota, as well as parts of neighboring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela
