Earthquake shakes northern Colombia

A mountainous province in northern Colombia was hit with a 5.9-magnitude earthquake Tuesday night.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit Antioquia province, centered about 25 miles east-northeast of Mutata, and about 80 miles north-northwest of Medellin, the country’s second-largest city.

The quake struck around 9 p.m. locally, or 10 p.m. EDT in the U.S.

The earthquake was felt in Medellin, a city of 2.2 million people, according to Twitter accounts of people in the city that were collected by the European‑Mediterranean Seismological Centre and posted based on location.

There were no immediate reports of major damage there, though people reported fleeing high-rise buildings.

According to the EMSC-curated tweets, the quake was felt for about 20 seconds in Bogota, the nation’s capital, and for one to two minutes in Medellin.

The Associated Press in Bogota reported that the quake barely registered among soccer fans attending a major international club game in Medellin between home team Atletico Nacional and Bolivian opponents Bolivar.

Much of the province, including the regions closest to the epicenter, is remote and rugged, and few reports would be immediately likely.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Antioquia province in 1999, albeit about 180 miles to the south, near the city of Armenia. At least 1,100 people were killed and 700 more went missing and are presumed dead in that quake.