Significant earthquakes of 2004

November 15, 2004 Earthquake: Bajo Baudo, Buenaventura, Cerrito, Colombia

November 15, 2004 · M7.2 · 154 houses destroyed

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Bajo Baudo, Buenaventura, Cerrito, Colombia on November 15, 2004 at 09:06:56 UTC, 15 km below the surface.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date
November 15, 2004
Time
09:06:56 UTC
Place
Bajo Baudo, Buenaventura, Cerrito, Colombia
Magnitude
7.2 (Mw)
Focal depth
15 km (9 mi)
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
4.695° N, 77.508° W
Country
Colombia

The toll

Injuries
10
Damage
Severe (about $5 to $25 million)
Houses destroyed
154

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Two people seriously injured, four others slightly injured, at least 154 buildings destroyed and 290 damaged in Bajo Baudo. Seven people injured and at least 67 houses destroyed or damaged at Buenaventura. One person injured and some buildings damaged at Cerrito. Buildings damaged at El Cairo, Jamundi and Restrepo. Some damage and power and telephone service interrupted at Cali. Power interrupted at Bogota. Felt at Armenia, Quibdo and in much of western and central Colombia. Felt lightly by people in tall buildings at Quito, Ecuador. Earthquake lights observed in the area. (above from reference #1053)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 2004The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2004Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5811.