A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, 2026, causing widespread destruction and more than 100 deaths. The earthquake was recorded at 07:34 local time in the region of Chocó and was described by Colombia’s Geological Service as the strongest recorded in the country during the 21st century. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake originated at a depth of about 107 kilometres. Despite its considerable depth, the shaking was felt across an enormous area and caused serious damage in several major cities. According to the latest official figures announced by Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella, at least 111 people had been confirmed dead. Some local media reported a higher death toll of 132, but the origin of that figure had not been clearly established at the time of reporting. With rescue operations continuing and people still believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings, the final number of casualties could rise. Some of the most serious damage was reported in western Colombia, including Pereira, Cali, Manizales and surrounding communities, where buildings collapsed and emergency teams searched through debris for survivors. In Valle del Cauca, where Cali is located, authorities reported at least 35 deaths and around 700 injuries.
Rescue teams, firefighters, police officers and volunteers continued searching damaged and collapsed buildings. In Pereira, a four-storey building collapsed during the earthquake, while emergency crews were deployed to multiple locations following reports of people trapped under rubble. In Manizales, part of one of the towers of the city’s well-known neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed, sending debris onto surrounding streets. In Cali, rescuers pulled survivors from damaged buildings, including a six-month-old baby and the child’s mother. Hospitals and other infrastructure were also affected. Colombia’s civil aviation authority temporarily suspended operations at several regional airports, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, while engineers assessed the safety of airport facilities. Night-time movement restrictions were introduced in Cali, Armenia and Manizales, while additional security personnel were sent to affected areas. The earthquake was felt hundreds of kilometres from the epicentral region, including in the capital Bogotá, and tremors were also reported beyond Colombia’s borders.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and said the immediate priority was rescuing people trapped beneath collapsed structures and providing assistance to affected communities. The new president had taken office only days before the disaster. The government mobilised national resources, while additional rescue and security teams were deployed to the worst-hit regions. Colombia lies within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and records thousands of earthquakes, mostly minor ones, every year. Specialists noted that the considerable depth of the August 10 earthquake would normally reduce some of its destructive potential, but its magnitude and the geological characteristics of the affected region resulted in strong shaking across populated areas. Colombia’s Geological Service recorded at least 21 aftershocks by the end of Monday and warned that further tremors were possible. The country has experienced devastating earthquakes before: in 1999, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Colombia’s coffee-growing region killed more than 1,000 people. Rescue operations following the August 10 earthquake remain under way, meaning figures for deaths, injuries and structural damage should still be considered preliminary and may be revised as authorities receive new information.
