An earthquake registering 7.0 on the open-ended Richter scale struck an area off the coast of Colombia on Monday, the Geological Watch in the city of Strasbourg said. The epicenter of the temblor, which struck at 0906 GMT, was located at 4.6 degrees latitude north and 77.6 degrees longitude west, or about 200 kilometers northwest of the coastal city of Buenaventura. The region has been struck by several quakes registering over 6 on the Richter scale over the past 15 years.
