6.9 Earthquake Rattles Colombia, Ecuador

A powerful but deep earthquake shook a broad swath of Colombia and Ecuador today, sending frightened people fleeing into the streets.There were no immediate reports of significant damage or deaths. The US Geological Survey said the quake, centered 7 miles from the Colombian town of Pasto, had a magnitude of 6.9 and was 92 miles below the surface. The quake was felt in the Colombian capital of Bogota, some 340 miles to the northeast, and across much of neighboring Ecuador.

In the province of Narino, where the quake hit, officials had reports of three people hurt when roof tiles fell in the town of El Charco along the Pacific Coast. Officials in Ecuador also reported no significant damage. Colombian television showed people fleeing into the streets of southwestern cities such as Cali, along with small cracks in the walls of some buildings. (More Colombia stories.)