US warns Americans to avoid vacation hot spot amid quake fallout and violent crime
A 7.4-magnitude Colombia earthquake killed at least 289 people as the U.S. State Department maintains a Level 3 travel advisory due to crime, terrorism and kidnapping.
Americans who may be weighing a trip to a South American country are confronting fresh safety concerns after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the western part of Colombia on Aug. 10, killing at least 289 people and leaving more than 26,000 homes destroyed, as The Associated Press (AP) reported.
The quake was centered in Chocó. Communities there are continuing to recover from widespread damage, according to AP.
The deadly earthquake adds another concern for travelers as Colombia remains under a Level 3 "Reconsider Travel" advisory from the U.S. State Department because of crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping and natural disasters — with several regions carrying the more severe Level 4 designation, per the State Department.
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U.S. officials have also cautioned that foreign visitors can be targeted by criminals, including schemes involving drugs used to incapacitate victims before robberies or assaults.
The epicenter of the earthquake was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, along Colombia's Pacific coast and roughly 250 miles west of the capital city of Bogotá, according to the AP.
Footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows the aftermath of the earthquake in Pereira, with furniture overturned and household belongings scattered across floors in one house.
Nearly 1.2 million visitors from the United States traveled to Colombia in 2024, according to the country's Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism.
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American travelers frequently visit destinations including Cartagena on the Caribbean coast, as well as Medellín and Bogotá.
Though the earthquake struck outside the major tourist hubs, travelers may still need to consider conditions in affected areas when planning transportation and itineraries.
Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for additional information.
While earthquakes and other natural disasters are rare while on vacation, they do happen, travel expert and journalist Angel Castellanos told Fox News Digital.
"We see travelers caught in these situations all the time," said Castellanos, who has visited Colombia multiple times.
He recommended travelers first determine whether their itineraries include affected areas.
"Check in on their airline to make sure that the flight is still happening, that the routes are not impacted for their particular itineraries," Castellanos said, adding that travel insurance is a necessity.
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"I always advise travelers to purchase travel insurance once they start spending the big dollars on big-ticket items like airfare and like hotels," he added.
"That way they're fully covered, but definitely look into it a lot more and just check on the airlines first."
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Castellanos also encouraged Americans traveling abroad to enroll in the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, or STEP.
The program allows travelers to register their trip with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
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"You should think of it as a really boring travel chore that you should do for your mom or your grandma or your loved ones," Castellanos said.
"It allows you to register your complete itinerary in case something goes wrong," he added.