Colombia has shifted from search and rescue to recovery operations four days after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck its western departments, with the death toll at least 285 and 379 people still listed as missing.
President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared an economic emergency. More than 12,000 homes were destroyed and over 74,000 damaged.
What are the figures?
David Santiago Tamayo, director of the National Disaster Risk Management Unit, said the window for finding survivors alive was closing. A total of 3,975 people have been injured and 354 rescued.
The toll has climbed steadily: 265 on Wednesday, 273 and then 281 on Thursday, 285 by Friday. Pereira, in the coffee-growing region, and Cali, the third-largest city, have recorded the highest counts.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Dead | At least 285 |
| Injured | 3,975 |
| Missing | 379 |
| Rescued alive | 354 |
| Homes destroyed | More than 12,000 |
| Aftershocks | More than 150 |
What is the state of the Colombia earthquake response?
Colombian authorities moved from search and rescue to recovery operations on 14 August 2026, four days after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the country’s western departments on 10 August. The National Disaster Risk Management Unit reported at least 285 deaths, 3,975 injuries and 379 people missing, with 354 confirmed rescued. More than 12,000 homes were destroyed and over 74,000 damaged, alongside 20 road bridges, more than 200 roads, five airports and 44 aqueducts. President Abelardo de la Espriella declared an economic emergency, and more than 150 aftershocks have been recorded. It is the strongest earthquake to strike Colombia this century. The government faced criticism for initially declining offers of foreign rescue assistance before reversing that decision. Civilian-run databases have recorded substantially higher numbers of missing people than official figures.
Why was the response criticised?
The government initially rejected offers of foreign rescue teams before reversing course. Civilian-run databases have listed more than 4,100 missing against the official figure of under 400.
De la Espriella took office shortly before the earthquake on a platform of reduced public spending. Tiziano Breda of the conflict monitoring group ACLED told AFP the disaster was the first test of the new president, noting he had campaigned on cutting public finances including funding for the state’s risk management unit.
What was lost?
Beyond housing, the damage covers 20 road bridges, more than 200 roads, five airports and 44 aqueducts. A pedestrian bridge collapsed. Nearly 26,000 families have been affected.
In Pereira, crews worked through the week at a collapsed bakery where vibration-detection equipment suggested a street vendor, Pablo Loaiza, might still be alive. His condition remained unconfirmed as officials announced the shift to recovery.
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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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