7.0 magnitude quake in Colombia: USGS

Bogota, Feb 9 (AFP) A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook southern Colombia today, causing some damage to houses but no casualties or major mishaps, authorities said. The quake was felt as far away as Quito, Ecuador and Bogota, where buildings swayed under the force of the tremor. "Fortunately, there have been no victims," said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at a public event. Authorities said the quake struck at a depth of 129 kilometers at 1416 GMT, 11 kilometers southwest of Pasto, Colombia, a city of 400,000 people that lies at the foot of the Galeras volcano. The US Geological Survey said the quake measured 7.0 on the moment magnitude scale. The Colombian Geological Service said the quake registered 6.9 on the Richter scale, revising an initial reading of 6.8. "Fortunately there is no serious damage, apart from some damaged houses in a large part of the municipalities in the provinces of Cauca and Narino," Carlos Ivan Marquez, head of the national risk management unit told Caracol television. The Colombian Geological Service said national crisis centers had been activated but added "there have been no effects for the moment." "It's possible there won't be aftershocks because of the great depth at which the quake occurred," Jaime Raigosa, a seismologist at the Colombian Institute of Geology and Mining, told Blu Radio. Bogota's mayor, Gustavo Petro, tweeted there were "no reports of injuries or damage." But he said some tall buildings were evacuated. In Ecuador, firefighters also took to Twitter to urge residents of the capital Quito to remain calm and take necessary precautions. Local media said a transformer exploded, knocking out power to the center of the Ecuadoran city of Esmeralda, near the border with Colombia. The quake was situated 199 kilometers northeast of Quito and 168 kilometers southwest of the Colombian city of Popayan, the USGS said. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said the event did not generate a destructive tsunami. (AFP) ZH 02100128 NNNN