7.1-magnitude quake hits Colombia

BOGOTA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale jolted Colombia at 11:31:31 local time (16:31:31 GMT) on Sunday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The epicenter, at a depth of 162.1 km, was determined to be at 1.972 degrees north latitude and 76.329 degrees west longitude in a rural region of La Vega city, Colombian southwest province of Cauca. It was 9 km west-northwest of Isnos town.

Carlos Ivan Marquez, an expert from Colombia's National Risk System, said so far there are no reports of victims or material damage, but that emergency units began inspection operations in the zones where the earthquake hit the hardest.

Marquez said the earthquake was felt in 12 provinces in central, south and southeast Colombia, where it caused panic among habitants of high buildings.

Also, the earthquake was felt in towns of northern Ecuador.

"I inform that authorities are alert before any situation. So far, no serious event has been reported," said Marquez.

The USGS had reported the earthquake at a magnitude of 7.4, but revised it to 7.1 later.