Emergency responders and civilian volunteers worked through the night under floodlights into Tuesday, August 11, 2026, desperately searching for survivors buried beneath destroyed infrastructure following a devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck western Colombia early Monday morning.
​The death toll officially reached 132 people, with over 570 injured, according to an updated assessment released by the Colombian Association of Capital Cities. The magnitude 7.4 tremor confirmed by the Colombian Geological Service as the country’s most powerful seismic event this century struck at 07:34 AM local time (12:34 UTC) at a depth of 103 kilometers.
Its epicenter was centered in the Pacific jungle department of Chocó, near San José del Palmar, though the destruction reverberated across major population centers in Colombia’s western coffee region.
​The destruction was concentrated heavily across the urban centers of Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, and Caldas: Pereira (Risaralda): Confirmed as the hardest-hit municipality with at least 60 deaths. Over 65 buildings collapsed across the city, including structures around Plaza BolÃvar. Ceilings collapsed inside Matecaña International Airport, forcing a complete suspension of commercial flights.
Cali Rescuers mobilized human chains at Cali’s University Hospital after 30% of its facilities, including pediatric, neonatal, and internal medicine wards collapsed. At least 32 buildings gave way across Cali, prompting citywide curfews amid reports of looting.
Manizales (Caldas): Seismic activity caused one of the central towers of the historic neo-Gothic Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica to crumble into the nave below.
​Newly inaugurated President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a state of national disaster on Monday afternoon, granting emergency powers to redirect state funds toward search-and-rescue efforts, temporary housing, and infrastructure repair.
​”The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities, and deliver aid wherever it is needed. The first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble.” Abelardo De La Espriella stated.
​Key leaders and officials outlined critical emergency measures across affected zones: Mauricio Salazar, Mayor of Pereira: Confirmed that emergency responders are focusing on 15 collapsed buildings where victims remain trapped under debris.
Alejandro Eder, Mayor of Cali: Imposed a citywide curfew and deployed 1,000 police and military personnel to maintain security while search operations continue.
Irne Torres Castro, Manager of University Hospital in Cali: Confirmed emergency evacuations were carried out into neighboring gardens as search teams worked to free patients trapped under the collapsed pediatric wing.
Jorge Eduardo Rojas Giraldo, Mayor of Manizales: Issued urgent public warnings instructing citizens to sleep outdoors or in designated shelters due to the risk of structural failure from ongoing aftershocks.
​As regional neighbors pledged support, the U.S. Department of State announced $15.5 million in emergency assistance for food, temporary shelter, and structural engineering assessments. Tactical search-and-rescue units from Mexico, Chile, and El Salvador are scheduled to land in Colombia on Tuesday to join local response teams.
