A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western abc.net.au, leaving at least 111 people dead and triggering a national emergency. According to the Colombian geological service and the US Geological Survey, the seismic event had an epicenter 100 kilometers underground.
Massive 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Western Colombia
The disaster struck just days after President Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn into office. In a national address delivered around 1 p.m. local time on Monday, August 10, 2026, Mr. de la Espriella declared a state of emergency to expedite funding for recovery efforts and mobilize resources.
The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is needed,
the president said in his address, emphasizing that rescue operations remain the top priority.
Widespread Damage and Search for Survivors
The quake rattled cities across the western region of the country, including Cali, Pereira, Quibdo, and Manizales, with tremors also felt in neighboring Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela. The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management reported receiving damage and evacuation reports from nine departments and all 32 departmental capitals.
President de la Espriella stated that at least 87 people were injured and 61 buildings collapsed across the affected areas. In Cali, a city of 2 million people, Mayor Alejandro Eder reported that residents were trapped in at least 19 collapsed buildings, with emergency responders facing at least 12 critical points and 25 total collapsed structures.
Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, described the terrifying moment the disaster unfolded. My entire house shook,
he said, noting that he saw plumes of dust shoot up across the city as structures failed. I've never lived through such a powerful earthquake.
Heavy damage was also reported in the coffee-producing mountains and historical sites. The Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica in Manizales suffered severe damage when one of the neo-Gothic cathedral’s towers collapsed onto the nave. Manizales Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas urged residents to remain outside their homes due to the threat of aftershocks. Additionally, authorities suspended flight operations at airports in Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura, and Pereira.
Government Response and Epicenter Challenges
The epicenter of the powerful tremor was located near San José del Palmar in the dense, rural jungle state of Chocó, where much of the territory is accessible only by boat or plane. Provincial governor Nubia Carolina Cordoba-Curi confirmed injuries and significant structural damage in the regional capital of Quibdo.
President de la Espriella announced he had directly assumed leadership of the emergency response in San José del Palmar, requesting a detailed report from the director of the disaster management unit and visiting Pereira to coordinate relief.
You are not alone. The state is present and taking action,
Mr. de la Espriella wrote on X.
The USGS warned that significant casualties and damage are likely, describing the disaster as potentially widespread. Colombia’s Geological Service noted that the tremor was the highest magnitude earthquake registered in the country in the last decade, followed by 2.8 and 4.8 magnitude aftershocks. The US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no risk of a tsunami following the seismic activity.
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