The Coffee Axis region of Colombia, known for its picturesque towns and coffee landscapes, has severely suffered the consequences of a 7.4 magnitude earthquake on the Richter scale. The capital of the Risaralda department, Pereira, has recorded at least 60 deaths according to Radio Caracol, and there are also fatalities and hundreds of injured in municipalities of Caldas and Quindío, with dozens of buildings damaged.
The earthquake's epicenter was located in San José del Palmar (Chocó), about 65 kilometers from Pereira. The depth of the seismic origin, nearly 100 kilometers underground, allowed the shockwave to propagate across a wide area of Colombian territory.
This region has a tragic history with earthquakes. In 1999, a 6.1 magnitude tremor caused the deaths of 1,200 people and left over 35,000 buildings damaged or destroyed. The city of Armenia was particularly devastated.
The Coffee Axis is also a major tourist destination, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for its cultural coffee landscape. Coffee production in this area accounts for about 17% of Colombian coffee.
