Strong quake rattles Colombian capital, prompting evacuations

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Colombian capital Bogota, according to the country's geological service, prompting people in offices and restaurants to evacuate.

The earthquake shook on Thursday, triggering sirens and sparking a brief panic on the streets.

The Colombian Geological Survey (CGS) put the magnitude of the quake at 6.1, while the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported it at 6.3.

According to the CGS, the earthquake struck at 12:04 pm (1704 GMT), with its epicentre in the town of El Calvario in the centre of the country, 40 kilometres southeast of Bogota.

It was followed by a 5.9-magnitude aftershock, the agency posted on social media.

'What do we do?'

"It was strong, and lasted a long time, said Adrian Alarcon, 43, who works near the capital's busy Park 93 district. "All my coworkers stood up and we looked at each other like 'what do we do?'"

"It makes me feel fragile," he added. "Life changes you in a second. You can't do anything, just run for your life."

Buildings shook and sirens sounded as thousands of panicked residents poured into the streets of the capital, gripping their cellphones as they called loved ones, according to journalists.