A catastrophic 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, August 10, 2026, causing widespread destruction. It is the country's most powerful earthquake recorded this century. The epicentre was located near San José del Palmar in the Chocó Department, about 250 miles (400 km) west of Bogotá. The quake originated roughly 103–107 km deep. While its depth spread out the initial shockwave, it still unleashed enough energy to crumble dense urban areas across western Colombia. Tremors were felt violently across the nation, including the capital city of Bogotá and extended into neighbouring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
At least 132 to 164 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 3,000 people are currently reported missing, including over 188 specifically unaccounted for in Cali alone. Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, suffered a direct hit. At least 40 buildings completely collapsed there, including parts of a local hospital's paediatric and neonatal wings, trapping several patients. Overnight curfews were established to assist rescue efforts. In Pereira, located in Colombia's vital coffee-growing axis, the city saw massive structural damage, including a seven-story building collapse in its main square, Plaza Bolívar. Across the Chocó and Risaralda regions, local infrastructure, water lines, and communications have been wiped out. Communication blackouts are currently slowing down casualty tracking in rural areas.
In response, over 1,000 soldiers have been deployed to form human chains and clear heavy debris in urban areas. Additionally, at least seven regional airports have suspended flights due to runway and terminal damage.
For disaster relief, the United States State Department has already committed millions in emergency funds for food and shelter. Meanwhile, the European Union has deployed its Copernicus Satellite system to map out high-priority rescue zones.
