Distance from the epicentre alone cannot explain what each city felt. Released energy, depth, wave paths and local ground conditions combine.
Subduction: a deep driving force
Along the Pacific coast, the Nazca plate moves beneath the South American plate. Rocks can store stress for long periods before rupturing. The precise mechanism of this event must still be confirmed by the Colombian Geological Survey.
Intermediate depth and wide propagation
An estimated hypocentre near 96 kilometres can spread waves over a broad area. Depth does not remove the danger: magnitude 7.4 represents enormous energy and can damage vulnerable buildings far from the source.
The ground changes the motion
Soft ground and sedimentary basins may amplify some frequencies and prolong shaking. This is known as a site effect. Neighbourhood-level intensity therefore cannot be inferred from magnitude alone.
Watch the footage on YouTube
These Shorts document damage and search operations in the affected cities.