At least 132 people have been killed and 570 injured after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, the strongest recorded in the country this century.
President Abelardo de la Espriella, sworn into office days before the disaster, declared a state of emergency and said he had assumed direct control of the response. Hundreds of people remain missing.
Where did it strike?
The epicentre was near San Jose del Palmar in the Choco department, roughly 240km west of Bogota, at a depth of 107km, according to the United States Geological Survey. It struck shortly after 7:30am local time.
The USGS estimates about 10.5 million people experienced strong to very strong shaking. Tremors were felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela, and prompted evacuations as far away as Bogota and Barranquilla on the Caribbean coast.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 7.4 |
| Depth | 107km |
| Epicentre | San Jose del Palmar, Choco |
| Reported dead | At least 132 |
| Reported injured | 570 |
What happened in the Colombia earthquake?
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on the morning of 10 August 2026, with its epicentre near San Jose del Palmar in the Choco department, approximately 240km west of Bogota, at a depth of 107km. The Colombian Association of Capital Cities reported at least 132 deaths and 570 injuries, while President Abelardo de la Espriella had earlier given a figure of 111 dead. It is the strongest earthquake recorded in Colombia this century. The cities of Cali, Pereira, Quibdo, Manizales and Armenia sustained significant damage, and the paediatric and neonatal wings of a hospital in Cali collapsed. At least 21 aftershocks were recorded within hours, the largest measuring 5.0. Flights were suspended at six airports and a state of emergency was declared. The quake was felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
Which areas were worst hit?
Most deaths were recorded in departments neighbouring Choco. At least 40 people were killed in Risaralda, the coffee-growing region where Pereira is located, and 27 in Valle del Cauca, home to Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city.
Twelve deaths were reported in Choco itself, four in Manizales in Caldas, and one in Antioquia. In Cali, the paediatric and neonatal sections of a hospital collapsed, and search teams worked alongside residents through the rubble of destroyed buildings.
Flights were suspended at airports in Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura and Pereira. At least 21 aftershocks followed within hours, the largest measuring 5.0.
What is the response?
De la Espriella travelled to Bogota to direct the emergency effort, telling Colombians they were not alone and that the state was present and acting.
The United States State Department announced $15.5m for shelter, food, protection and damage assessment.
Why the toll is uncertain
Figures have risen steadily through the day and different authorities are counting differently. President de la Espriella gave 111 dead and 87 injured in the morning; the Colombian Association of Capital Cities later reported 132 dead and 570 injured. Colombia initially assessed the magnitude at 6.6 before revising it to 7.4.
With hundreds still missing and rescue teams working through collapsed structures, the count is expected to change again.
A second disaster in the region
The quake comes some six weeks after two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck neighbouring Venezuela in late June, killing more than 6,000 people and destroying hundreds of buildings. Families there are still searching rubble.
The two countries sit on the same tectonic boundary, where the Nazca plate meets the South American plate. Monday’s quake was unusually deep at 107km, which typically reduces surface intensity at the epicentre while spreading shaking across a wider area, consistent with tremors being felt in three neighbouring countries.
Update
Rescue operations continued into Tuesday. Reuters reported a toll of at least 164 dead, with at least 85 killed in Cali alone. The Colombian Association of Capital Cities had earlier given 132 dead and 570 injured.
Later update
By Friday 14 August the death toll had reached at least 285, with 3,975 injured and 379 listed as missing, according to Colombia’s National Disaster Risk Management Unit. Officials formally shifted from search and rescue to recovery operations. More than 12,000 homes were destroyed and over 74,000 damaged.
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Sources for this report
The Redline News Desk
The Redline News desk files and edits world reporting. Every story carries the sources it was built from, and corrections are published on the story itself.
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