Colombia declared a national state of emergency after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s western region on August 10, 2026. The disaster killed at least 111 people, injured 87 others, and caused widespread building collapses, marking the strongest seismic event recorded in the nation this century.
Emergency Declarations and Rescue Operations Underway Across Western Regions
President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national state of emergency during a national address, deploying the full capabilities of the government to assist affected areas and rescue survivors trapped beneath the rubble following the 7.4-magnitude earthquake. The disaster struck the new administration just days after the president took office.
The U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s Geological Service recorded the tremor at 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday. The epicentre was located in San José del Palmar, a community within the rural Chocó province, at a depth of approximately 100 to 110 kilometers. Geological officials confirmed it was the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in the 21st century.
Rescue workers, firefighters, and volunteers rushed to hard-hit cities including Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó, working through the night with headlamps and heavy equipment. In Cali, authorities deployed police and military personnel to the streets to maintain order alongside a nighttime curfew after threats of looting emerged.
“The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is needed,”
Abelardo De La Espriella, President of Colombia
He further stated that the first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble.
Coffee-Growing Regions and Major Cities Bear the Brunt of Destruction
The heavy death toll spans several provinces neighbouring the Chocó epicentre. The western province of Risaralda, anchored by the hard-hit city of Pereira, reported at least 40 fatalities. In the Valle del Cauca region, home to Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali, authorities confirmed at least 27 deaths, including three children. Additional fatalities were registered in Chocó, Caldas, and Antioquia.
Footage from the city’s airport showed terrified travellers fleeing as parts of the ceiling collapsed.
Meanwhile, in Manizales, one of the side towers of the city’s landmark neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed, scattering debris across the nave and surrounding streets. The seismic shockwaves stretched far beyond the epicentre, prompting building evacuations in the capital, Bogotá, and sending panicked residents rushing outdoors in their pyjamas.
Infrastructure Strain and International Aid Responses
Transportation networks suffered immediate disruption as the civil aviation authority suspended flights at multiple airports, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura. Landslides also forced the closure of major roadways across the affected western departments, while hospitals in five cities were placed on red alert.
International leaders mobilized support as the nation confronted its worst seismic crisis in decades. U.S. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen confirmed that the bloc had mobilized its Copernicus satellite service to assist rescue operations.
