The Colombian Geological Service reported that the epicenter It was 10 km northeast of the municipal seat of El Calvario, Meta.
This Thursday, August 17, at 12:04 p.m., a earthquake of magnitude 6.1 and superficial depth (less than 30 kilometers) in El Calvario, Meta. The event was felt mainly in the departments of Cundinamarca, Meta, Caquetá, Risaralda, Caldas, Cauca, Nariño and Santander.
In Popayán, in addition to having felt the earthquake strong and with aftershocks, it caused great fear, because the city was marked by the 1983 earthquake that semi-destroyed the city.
The Colombian Geological Service (SGC) confirmed that, since the occurrence of the main earthquake and until 2:00 p.m. this Thursday, more than 20 aftershocks were registered. (all located in Meta) with magnitudes ranging from 2.0 to 5.6, and with shallow depths.
That entity also reported that, due to the energy that was released by the main earthquake, these may continue to occur. However, it is expected that as the days go by, the magnitude and frequency of these events will decrease.
Aftershocks are seismic movements that, after a main earthquake, occur in the same region as it. Aftershocks can last for days, weeks, or even months, because when a large-magnitude and shallow earthquake occurs (less than 30 km), energy continues to be released until the areas surrounding the rupture area of the main earthquake balance again.
It must be taken into account that Colombia is a country seismically very active, in which approximately 2,500 earthquakes are recorded per month. However, many of them are not even noticeable to people.