Strong Quake Injures Six in Colombia
Date: 16-Nov-04
Country: COLOMBIA
The epicenter of the quake, which measured magnitude 6.7, was about 30 miles from the coastal town of Bajo Baudo in the jungle province of Choco near the border with Panama.
The injuries and damage to homes and other buildings occurred near the quake's epicenter, said Social Protection Minister Diego Palacio.
Two hospitals in Colombia's second-largest city, Cali, were evacuated due to structural damage caused by the quake, which struck at 4:06 a.m. (4:06 a.m. EST).
Damage was limited by the fact the quake hit most strongly in a sparsely populated region, where buildings are often made of wood.
"Despite the magnitude of the quake, the damage is minor," said Palacio.
In 1999, a quake measuring magnitude 6.2 hit the coffee-growing region of central Colombia, killing 1,250 people.
Colombia is already struggling with the effects of torrential wet season rains, which have damaged the homes of 200,000 people and claimed 20 lives since the end of September.
