CONMEBOL temporarily suspended two Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana matches this week after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, August 10. The South American football body said the decision was meant to guarantee the safety of everyone involved and to show respect for the victims of the disaster.
The affected matches are Tolima against Independiente del Valle in the Libertadores, which had been scheduled for Tuesday, August 11 in Ibague, and Independiente Santa Fe against River Plate in the Sudamericana, set for Wednesday, August 12 in Bogota.
In an official statement, CONMEBOL expressed deep solidarity with the Colombian people and offered condolences to the families of those killed and injured. The organization said it would announce details of the rescheduled matches soon.
The earthquake in Colombia
The magnitude 7.4 tremor was recorded in San Jose del Palmar, Colombia, on Monday morning, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The quake struck at around 7:34 a.m. local time at a depth of 96 kilometers.
The shaking was felt in several regions, including the cities of Rio Iro and Novita. According to figures released by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, as of a 12:30 p.m. local time update, 111 people had died and another 87 were injured as a result of the earthquake.
