Rescue operations continue in western Colombia after 7.4 quake kills dozens

BOGOTA, Colombia — Search and rescue efforts resumed Tuesday in dozens of cities and towns in western Colombia after a Monday’s 7.4 magnitude earthquake left over 3,000 missing, with many trapped under the debris. Mayors and governors from Cali, Pereira, Choco and Manizalez said Tuesday at least 179 people had died in those four areas; the federal government, which last updated its estimates Monday, has said at least 111 died. Around 1,600 buildings were reported damaged or collapsed. Soldiers, rescue personnel and families picked through the rubble, passing large pieces of concrete by hand along lines of volunteers. Choco, the region surrounding the quake’s epicenter, is one of Colombia's poorest and most neglected regions, often beset by warring armed groups. Much of Choco is accessible only by boat, through the jungle or by airplane. Little was known about the extent of damage there. The country’s new president, Abelardo De la Espriella, traveled to Choco’s capital, Quibdo, on Monday night and announced he had mobilized "the entire military and police apparatus" to respond,

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AFP) — Colombian volunteers and rescuers cleared rubble with their bare hands to search for survivors early Tuesday after the country's strongest earthquake in a decade killed at least 169 people and smashed dozens of buildings. The 7.4-magnitude quake struck cities across Colombia's western region shortly after 7:30 am (1230 GMT) on Monday, sending panicked residents onto the streets, AFP journalists saw. The quake killed 169 people and injured more than 600, according to an association of Colombian city mayors. The deaths were concentrated in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdo. The mayors also reported that 165 buildings collapsed. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella -- just three days after being sworn into the job -- declared a state of emergency and vowed a concerted rescue effort. The city of Pereira, which was among those hit hardest, was mostly plunged into darkness amid power outages on Monday night as volunteers probed for signs of life under collapsed buildings. "We're without power. This seems honestly like a zombie city," resident Juan David Gaitan told AFP. Tattoo artist Andres Hernandez said he was worried about his family and friends, adding that he would stay awake because structures around him were "on the verge of collapsing." Hernandez recalled being asleep at home when the quake happened and rushing into the street for safety, as the quake devastated the city in the heart of Colombia's coffee-growing region. "It was a movie scene, because I saw the poles, the cables, everything moving. I'm worried about my family, my friends," he said. There were scenes of destruction in several cities, with furniture and fabrics sandwiched between concrete walls, floors tossed into irregular angles, and cabling strewn across roads. In Manizales, the quake crumpled a tower of the city's beloved neo-Gothic cathedral. In Quibdo, the capital of Colombia's Choco department, local official Jenny Rivas said public services and communications "have been virtually shut down." "People ran out naked, people jumped from the second floor of their homes," Quibdo resident and law student Wilmer Cuesta recalled. Dentist Julian Pena said he "ran outside carrying nothing" after feeling strong tremors and found hundreds doing the same. "People were praying in the street. It was overwhelming," he told AFP. "There are many buildings with gaps, with cracks. There are others that have completely collapsed." The quake was felt across Colombia, including the capital Bogota, where crowds rushed out into the street in their pajamas. At a depth of 110 kilometers (68 miles), the quake was also felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama. Experts at the US Geological Survey said the quake was likely caused by movement along a deep fault within the Nazca tectonic plate. Hospitals in five Colombian cities were put on red alert Monday and a nighttime curfew was declared in Cali, according to local authorities. At least six local airports suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. Colombian pop megastar Shakira led the calls for unity. "All my strength and love to my homeland. Let's hold each other tight," she said. In Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, volunteers quickly went to work with picks, basic tools and their hands to try to find survivors. "Getting here was unbelievable. It felt like the end of the world -- cars and motorcycles driving the wrong way, everyone searching for their loved ones," said volunteer rescue worker Nelson Moreno. "What we need now are flashlights and goggles" to keep working through the night, he said. Rescuers formed human chains to remove bricks and masonry, stopping every few minutes to listen for signs of life from those trapped below. "We are trying to get everyone out alive," said Andres Felipe Mejia, another volunteer. "A lot of people have come, with supplies, with food, helping the firefighters, helping the people," he said. The devastation comes less than two months after powerful twin quakes rattled neighbouring Venezuela, killing over 6,300 people and leaving tens of thousands homeless. Messages of support came in from countries across the region and the world. Pope Leo XIV is "deeply saddened" and "raises his prayers to the Lord for the prompt recovery of those affected by this tragedy," the Vatican said Tuesday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday the United States was "closely monitoring" the situation and "stands ready to support the people of Colombia." The US announced $15.5 million in emergency relief. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU had mobilised Copernicus, a satellite service, to help with rescue operations. Israel, Mexico, Ecuador and France also offered assistance.

Buildings collapse and more than 470 people hurt in 7.4-magnitude quake. Plus, in such a vast universe why is there no sign of aliens?Good morning. More than 130 people died after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, collapsing and severely damaging scores of buildings in main cities, including Cali and Pereira.The US and Colombian geological surveys reported that a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 7.34am local time on Monday, with its epicentre in the western department of Chocó. It was felt in neighbouring Venezuela, still reeling from a deadly double earthquake on 24 June. The quake killed at least 132 people and more than 570 were injured as of Monday afternoon, according to the Colombian Association of Capital Cities, which coordinates cities across the country.How has the government responded? In a national address, Colombia’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella, said: “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. Colombia has a president whose heart aches for his people and who will do everything in his power to help them in the most difficult moments.” Continue reading...

BOGOTA, Colombia — Rescue efforts across western Colombia carried into a second day on Tuesday as emergency workers dug through collapsed buildings and flattened homes, amid expectations that the death toll from the country's most powerful earthquake in decades could rise. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake tore through Colombia's coffee-growing heartland early on Monday, killing at least 164 people. The quake reduced multi-story buildings to rubble in cities such as Pereira and Cali, and cracked apart one of the towers of a historic cathedral in the city of Manizales. Emergency teams aided by police, soldiers and volunteers worked through the night with excavators and, at times, their bare hands, hunting for survivors beneath debris. In Cali, home to about 2.2 million people, at least 85 people were killed. Dozens of buildings were left leaning precariously or destroyed outright, forcing residents into the streets. Several of the top floors of one of the city's hospitals — some dedicated to pediatric care — collapsed upon themselves, leaving some patients trapped and forcing some 600 o

On Monday, 10 August 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia's Pacific and Caribbean coasts. While the seismic event lightly affected the southern border of Panama and the northern border of Ecuador, Colombia has declared a national state of emergency. The earthquake has caused 111 deaths according to official reports, with the toll expected to rise as search and rescue efforts continue. According to the Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC), the epicentre was located 96 kilometres beneath the surface near San José del Palmar, a rural area in the northwest of the Chocó province. Infrastructure damage extends to densely populated cities including Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Armenia, affecting an area with a population of about 3.5 million people. This seismic event follows four others that occurred less than two months ago in Japan, the United States, and Venezuela, adding to reconstruction efforts already underway worldwide.

PEREIRA: At least 111 people were killed after a powerful earthquake str­uck western Colombia ear­ly on Monday, knocking down buildings across several cities and injuring 87 others, with still more residents trapped in the rubble. The 7.4-magnitude qua­ke, with its epicenter in the coastal Choco region at a depth of 100km, struck at 7:34am, triggering a frantic search for survivors in several cities and thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis as Colombia declared a state of emergency. “The national government is maintaining all its capacities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid to every area that needs it,” President Abelardo de la Espriella stated from Bogota. The leader appointed just three days ago reported 111 deaths, 87 people injured and over 1,000 buildings were damaged. Govt declares emergency after 7.4-magnitude quake flattens dozens of buildings The city of Pereira was one of the worst-hit areas, with local authorities earlier announcing that at least 40 people had died in the Risaralda region of which it is the provincial capital. The quake crumpled a tower of a beloved cathedral in the city of Manizales. “A great many buildings” in the city sustained damage, said administrative worker Jaime Zuluaga, 50. “Traffic is paralysed and people don’t want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock.” ‘Missing people’ At least 20 buildings crumbled in Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali, trapping people beneath the debris, Mayor Alejandro Eder said. Choco’s governor warned of serious damage in the provincial capital Quibdo, where videos showed more buildings reduced to rubble. “We are all devastated,” said Quibdo community leader Luis Gregorio Moreno. “At this moment there are reported deaths, dozens of wounded, but what there is most of is missing people,” he said. Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela also felt the early-morning quake, which prompted building evacuations in the Colombian capital, Bogota. Still wearing their pajamas, crowds of people rushed out into the street upon feeling the tremor. “The quake was very, very strong,” said content creator Valeria Polo, 29, in the capital, where only minimal damage was recorded. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said, and the soccer governing body postponed upcoming football matches. Washington is “closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X. European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was “ready to provide more support” to the South American country. “We have already mobilised Copernicus, our satellite service, to help with rescue operations,” she wrote on social media. Israel, Mexico, Ecuador and France also offered assistance. Latin America is already reeling from two disastrous quakes that struck Venezuela in June, killing more than 6,000 people and causing widespread destruction. Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2026

Pereira: At least 132 people have died and 570 others have been injured after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia earlier on Monday, CNN reported, citing the Colombian Association of Capital Cities.Así colapsó parte del Hospital Universitario de Cali, una de las ciudades más golpeadas por el sismo. #Colombia #Terremoto pic.twitter.com/1q3VRRUVzH— Cristian Crespo F. (@cristiancrespoj) August 10, 2026 The association, which participated in a disaster response meeting with the president, said the city of Pereira alone has reported 60 deaths.According to the association, five capital cities across the country are under a red alert. It added that 86 buildings have collapsed and operations at seven airports have been suspended, CNN reported.NEW footage is circulating from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia's Pacific region today. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó department, at a depth of around 96 km. It was felt strongly across much of Colombia—including Bogotá, Medellín, and… pic.twitter.com/X03limcIts— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 10, 2026 Pereira, a city of around 500,000 people, lies less than 64 km from the epicentre, according to The New York Times.Tremors were felt in several cities across Colombia, including the capital Bogota, where alarms sounded and people in several buildings evacuated to the streets as a precaution.Colombia's civil aviation authority, Aeronáutica Civil, says operations have been suspended at least seven airports in Colombia following the earthquake.It says damage has been reported at Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura airports, and so… pic.twitter.com/rhKcJUxK84— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) August 10, 2026 Earlier, President Abelardo de la Espriella said that 1,577 residential buildings had been damaged, while 37 others were completely destroyed. He added that more than 60 buildings had collapsed, along with damage to 18 health centres and 52 schools, The New York Times reported.The department of Risaralda in western-central Colombia has emerged as the worst-hit area, Risaralda Governor Juan Diego Patino told radio station BluRadio, CNN reported.This is how the 7.4-magnitude earthquake (terremoto) that struck Colombia was felt in Manizales, where reports of building damage are already emerging. pic.twitter.com/by54ltduJF— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) August 10, 2026 In a statement, de la Espriella said he had convened an emergency committee to address the damage and pledged that the government "will do whatever is necessary" to protect those affected. He added that he would "personally lead efforts" to steer the country through the aftermath of the quake.Earlier in the day, the US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the quake at around 7:34 am local time with an epicentre near San Jose del Palmar in Colombia's Choco area, around 280 kilometres west of Bogota, at a depth of 107 kilometres, CNN reported.BREAKING: Death toll in Colombia earthquake climbs over 100, with over 80 injured, according to BNO News. The current figures:- 111 killed- 87 injured- 1,575 homes damaged- Dozens of homes destroyed- 61 buildings damaged- Many people trappedpic.twitter.com/aMhksVupTV— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) August 10, 2026 According to CNN, the governor of Colombia's northwestern area of Choco, Nubia Carolina Cordoba Curi, confirmed that in the regional capital, Quibdo, "there are injured people and severe damage to buildings" and expressed concern about possible aftershocks.Meanwhile, Bogota Mayor Carlos F Galan announced on X that six collection points for donations are being set up, seeking essential supplies including drinking water, blankets, non-perishable food, hygiene products and first-aid materials for affected communities.En Bogotá, hemos habilitado 6 puntos de acopio para recibir donaciones para las ciudades más afectadas por el sismo. Se necesita: agua potable, cobijas, mantas, colchonetas, alimentos no perecederos, artículos de higiene personal y suministros de primeros auxilios. Por favor,… pic.twitter.com/lDxDvY5bzu— Carlos F. Galán (@CarlosFGalan) August 10, 2026 "In Bogota, we have set up 6 collection points to receive donations for the cities most affected by the earthquake. Needed: drinking water, blankets, quilts, mats, non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, and first aid supplies. Please, if you can donate, do so," he wrote on X.Actualización | Hasta el momento no se han reportado afectaciones graves en Bogotá. Por otro lado, ya todo está coordinado con el Gobierno Nacional para que 100 rescatistas de Bogotá viajen a las ciudades más afectadas y apoyen con las labores de búsqueda y rescate. Estamos… pic.twitter.com/JNZwSWDbvS— Carlos F. Galán (@CarlosFGalan) August 10, 2026 He further added, "So far, no serious impacts have been reported in Bogota. On the other hand, everything has already been coordinated with the National Government so that 100 rescuers from Bogota can travel to the most affected cities and support search and rescue operations. We are ready to continue helping so that the response is as swift as possible. We are all in this together." (Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

The epicentre was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, while tremors were felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama

PEREIRA, Colombia —  Colombia declared a state of emergency on Monday after a powerful earthquake killed at least 111 people, damaged more than 1,500 buildings and left an unknown number of people buried under rubble. The 7.4 magnitude quake shook several cities across Colombia’s coffee-producing region and the Pacific coast, sending terrified residents racing into the street. Dentist Julian Pena was at home in Quibdo when he felt “very, very strong” shaking just after 7:30 am (1230 GMT). READ: Magnitude 7.4 quake rocks Colombia and neighbors, 18 confirmed dead “People were praying in the street. It was overwhelming,” he told AFP. […]...Keep on reading: Colombia earthquake kills 111, state of emergency declared

PEREIRA, Colombia — Colombia on Monday declared a state of emergency following a powerful earthquake that caused at least 111 deaths and flattened dozens of buildings, trapping more victims underneath. The 7.4-magnitude quake struck western Colombia at 7:34 am (1234 GMT) and triggered a frantic search for survivors in several cities. "The national government is maintaining all its capacities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid to every area that needs it," President Abelardo de la Espriella stated from Bogota. The leader appointed just three days ago reported 111 deaths, 87 people injured and over 1,000 buildings were damaged. The quake's epicenter was in Colombia's coastal Choco region at a depth of 100 kilometers (60 miles). Authorities in the impoverished area reported 12 deaths. The nearby city of Pereira was one of the worst-hit areas, with local authorities earlier announcing that at least 40 people had died in the Risaralda region of which it is the provincial capital. The quake crumpled a tower of a beloved cathedral in the city of Manizales, an

At least 100 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia early on Monday, knocking down buildings across several cities and injuring at least 87 more, with still others trapped in the rubble. The quake struck just days after Abelardo De La Espriella was sworn in as president, thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis, with memories still fresh of devastating twin earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela in June. The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart, the US Geological Survey, put the magnitude at 7.4. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6. The quake, according to USGS, struck at a depth of 107km near San Jose del Palmar, in Choco, a sparsely populated province on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, but was felt in major cities nationwide. “Significant casualties and damage are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread,” the agency warned. The highest reported death toll was in the western province of Risaralda in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where Governor Juan Diego Patino, speaking by phone to Caracol Television, reported 42 fatalities. In the province’s capital of Pereira, social media images showed a building with a cracked facade crash to the ground, sending up a dark cloud of dust and debris as onlookers on the street darted away. The impact also toppled one of the towers atop a Gothic-style cathedral in Manizales, and forced nurses in Cali to wheel patients outside in hospital beds, social media and television images showed. Residents and emergency personnel dig through the debris of a partially collapsed building after an earthquake, in Pereira, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — Reuters In Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar said 18 people had died. “The situation is critical,” he told Caracol Radio. In nearby Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said three people were killed. One person died in Buenaventura, Colombia’s main Pacific port, when a building collapsed, trapping several people, Mayor Ligia del Carmen Cordoba said. Cali, one of Colombia’s biggest cities, was among the worst hit, though authorities have yet to confirm deaths there. Mayor Alejandro Eder told Caracol at least 30 buildings had collapsed and rescue crews were working at 10 of them. “At this point, two people have already been rescued alive, one elderly woman and one young girl. There are more people trapped,” Eder told Blu Radio earlier. “We have at least 12 critical points and 25 collapsed structures that we are responding to.” He added that the city had asked authorities in Bogota and Medellin to send disaster teams to support rescue efforts. Caracol showed firefighters and Colombian Red Cross workers carrying a survivor on a stretcher from one collapsed building. “The building completely collapsed. It sounded like a bomb. It was horrible,” Juan Carlos Osorio told Caracol Television as he helped remove debris from a collapsed structure in Cali. “All of us neighbors are working together, forming human chains. We need heavy equipment. There are many people trapped.” An elderly woman is carried on furniture near a collapsed building after an earthquake in Cali, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — AFP Colombian officials said they did not fear a tsunami after the early-morning quake, which was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. It prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw, while news footage showed collapsed buildings elsewhere in the country. The governor of Colombia’s Choco province wrote on X that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the department’s capital Quibdo. News outlets aired footage of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Pereira and Manizales in a tourist region called Eje Cafetero. ‘Strong, really strong’ “There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house,” Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Eje Cafetero, which means coffee-growing region, told AFP. Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia’s third largest city, also reported “major damage” that was being evaluated with drones. At least 20 buildings collapsed in the city, with people trapped inside, the mayor said. The city has requested teams from Bogota and Medellin to aid in rescue efforts, he added. People look for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Cali, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — AFP “The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29-year-old content creator in Bogota. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. These airports serve Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, the agency wrote on X. Colombia’s newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a state of emergency. “The national government has all of its capabilities deployed to protect lives, assist affected communities and deliver aid wherever it is needed,” he said in a national address around midday from Bogota. “The first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble.” De La Espriella, a right-wing politician who has never before held elected office, earlier said in a video filmed while flying to Bogota that he was suspending his planned activities to lead emergency coordination efforts out of the capital. Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on Blu Radio that damage in the national capital appeared to be limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings. News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake. In Bogota some people ran out into the street in their pajamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Land of earthquakes and landslides Smaller earthquakes are not uncommon in Colombia, which is crisscrossed by three ranges of the Andean mountains. However, it is landslides which have historically been the deadliest natural disasters in the country, with the Armero disaster in 1985 killing some 25,000 people. Cities in the country’s coffee region, including Armenia and Pereira, suffered a devastating 6.2 magnitude quake in 1999, which killed more than 1,000 people. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage, mostly on the coast near the capital, Caracas.

Videos are emerging of the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that shook parts of Colombia, damaging airports in Manizales, Armenia, Cartago, Pereira, and Buenaventura, and toppling buildings across the coffee region. The death toll continues to rise as emergency responders begin digging through the rubble.

BOGOTA, Colombia — A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 73 people, trapping residents under debris of collapsed buildings and forcing people to evacuate their homes as far as the capital of Bogotá. The epicenter was in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s counterpart reported. The USGS said it struck at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers). The quake also was felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama, though minimal damage was reported there. Local officials confirmed that at least 40 people were killed in the Risaralda region, where the hard-hit city of Pereira is located, and 27 people in the Valle del Cauca region, where Colombia's third-biggest city, Cali, is located. At least three of those killed in Valle del Cauca were children, the governor said. Authorities also confirmed four people were killed in Choco and two more in the city of Manizales in the Caldas region. Many more people across the country

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AFP) — At least 69 people have been confirmed dead after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, toppling dozens of buildings and reverberating in nearby countries. Emergency teams rushed to help victims and search for survivors under the rubble after the quake hit the coastal Choco region at 7:34 am local time. The tremor, with an epicentre 100 kilometers (60 miles) deep in the San Jose del Palmar municipality, killed at least 40 people in the Risaralda region. "The situation is critical," Mayor Mauricio Salazar of the provincial capital Pereira told Caracol Radio. Twenty-seven people were killed in the Valle del Cauca department, and two more died in the city of Manizales, in Colombia's coffee-growing region. The quake caused a tower of Manizales' beloved cathedral to fall over, an AFP journalist observed. "A great many buildings" in the city sustained damage, said administrator Jaime Zuluaga, 50. "Traffic is paralysed and people don't want to go back to their homes for fear of an aftershock." Twenty buildings crumbled in Colombia's third-largest city Cali, trapping people beneath the debris, Mayor Alejandro Eder said. Choco's governor warned of serious damage in the provincial capital Quibdo, where videos showed more buildings reduced to rubble. The death toll in the impoverished region remains unknown. Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela also felt the early-morning quake, which prompted building evacuations in Bogota. Still wearing their pyjamas, crowds of people rushed out into the street upon feeling the tremor, AFP reporters saw. "The quake was very, very strong," said content creator Valeria Polo, 29, in the capital, where only minimal damage was recorded. READ: UPDATE: 18 confirmed dead in Colombia quake Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said, and the soccer governing body postponed upcoming football matches. President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was just sworn in on Friday, said he was heading to Bogota to convene an emergency meeting. "To the Colombians who are going through difficult times today, I want to say: You are not alone," he added. De la Espriella has pledged to build close ties with the United States and Israel, both of whom voiced support following the disaster. Washington is "closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia," Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X. Israel offered its assistance, as did Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Ecuador's Daniel Noboa. In June, twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 killed more than 6,000 people and caused widespread destruction.

At least 77 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia early on Monday, knocking down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble. The quake struck just days after Abelardo De La Espriella was sworn in as president, thrusting the new administration into its first major crisis, with memories still fresh of devastating twin earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela in June. The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart, the US Geological Survey, put the magnitude at 7.4. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6. The quake, according to USGS, struck at a depth of 107km near San Jose del Palmar, in Choco, a sparsely populated province on Colombia’s Pacific Coast, but was felt in major cities nationwide. “Significant casualties and damage are likely and the disaster is potentially widespread,” the agency warned. The highest reported death toll was in the western province of Risaralda in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where Governor Juan Diego Patino, speaking by phone to Caracol Television, reported 42 fatalities. In the province’s capital of Pereira, social media images showed a building with a cracked facade crash to the ground, sending up a dark cloud of dust and debris as onlookers on the street darted away. The impact also toppled one of the towers atop a Gothic-style cathedral in Manizales, and forced nurses in Cali to wheel patients outside in hospital beds, social media and television images showed. Residents and emergency personnel dig through the debris of a partially collapsed building after an earthquake, in Pereira, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — Reuters In Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar said 18 people had died. “The situation is critical,” he told Caracol Radio. In nearby Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said three people were killed. One person died in Buenaventura, Colombia’s main Pacific port, when a building collapsed, trapping several people, Mayor Ligia del Carmen Cordoba said. People remained trapped in Cali, one of Colombia’s largest cities, after more than two dozen structures collapsed, Mayor Alejandro Eder said. He added that the city had asked authorities in Bogota and Medellin to send disaster teams to support rescue efforts. “At this point, two people have already been rescued alive, one elderly woman and one young girl. There are more people trapped,” Eder told Blu Radio. “We have at least 12 critical points and 25 collapsed structures that we are responding to.” An elderly woman is carried on furniture near a collapsed building after an earthquake in Cali, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — AFP Colombian officials said they did not fear a tsunami after the early-morning quake, which was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. It prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw, while news footage showed collapsed buildings elsewhere in the country. The governor of Colombia’s Choco province wrote on X that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the department’s capital Quibdo. News outlets aired footage of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Pereira and Manizales in a tourist region called Eje Cafetero. ‘Strong, really strong’ “There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house,” Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Eje Cafetero, which means coffee-growing region, told AFP. Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia’s third largest city, also reported “major damage” that was being evaluated with drones. At least 20 buildings collapsed in the city, with people trapped inside, the mayor said. The city has requested teams from Bogota and Medellin to aid in rescue efforts, he added. People look for survivors amid the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Cali, Colombia on August 10, 2026. — AFP “The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29 year old content creator in Bogota. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. These airports serve Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, the agency wrote on X. Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on Blu Radio that damage in the national capital appeared to be limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings. News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake. In Bogota some people ran out into the street in their pajamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Land of earthquakes and landslides Smaller earthquakes are not uncommon in Colombia, which is crisscrossed by three ranges of the Andean mountains. However, it is landslides which have historically been the deadliest natural disasters in the country, with the Armero disaster in 1985 killing some 25,000 people. Cities in the country’s coffee region, including Armenia and Pereira, suffered a devastating 6.2 magnitude quake in 1999, which killed more than 1,000 people. De La Espriella, a right-wing politician who has never before held elected office, said in a video filmed while flying to Bogota that he was suspending his planned activities to lead emergency coordination efforts out of the capital. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage, mostly on the coast near the capital, Caracas.

The epicentre was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, while tremors were felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama

BOGOTA, Colombia — A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, killing at least 47 people, trapping residents under debris of collapsed buildings and forcing people to evacuate their homes as far as the capital of Bogotá. The epicenter was in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s counterpart reported. The USGS said it struck at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers). The quake also was felt in neighboring Ecuador and Panama, though minimal damage was reported there. Local officials confirmed that at least 18 people had been killed in the city of Pereira, two in the city of Manizales, and 27 people in the Valle del Cauca department, where Colombia's third-biggest city, Cali, is located. At least three killed in Valle del Cauca were children, the governor reported. The quake left cities across the west of the country — Pereira, Quibdo, Cali and Manizales — ravaged. A mix of residents and search teams picked through the rubble of

BOGOTÁ, Colombia — A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia and neighboring Latin American countries on Monday, with at least 18 people confirmed dead in first reports as shocked residents surveyed destroyed buildings. Emergency teams rushed to help victims and search for survivors in the rubble after geologists recorded the quake at a magnitude of 7.4 with an epicenter 100 km (60 miles) deep in the west of the country. The early-morning quake was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela — itself hit by a devastating quake in late June — and prompted building evacuations in the Colombian capital Bogota, AFP reporters […]...Keep on reading: Magnitude 7.4 quake rocks Colombia and neighbors, 18 confirmed dead

At least 22 people were killed after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia and neighbouring Latin American countries on Monday, bringing down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble, local authorities said. The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart USGS put the magnitude at 7.4, with an epicentre 100km underground in the west of the country. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6. The highest reported death toll was in Pereira, a city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, where Mayor Mauricio Salazar said 18 people had died. In nearby Manizales, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said three people were killed. “The situation is critical,” Salazar said after the quake centered in neighbouring Choco province. One person died in Buenaventura, Colombia’s main Pacific port, when a building collapsed, trapping several people, Mayor Ligia del Carmen Cordoba said. People remained trapped in Cali, one of Colombia’s largest cities, after more than two dozen structures collapsed, Mayor Alejandro Eder said. He added that the city had asked authorities in Bogota and Medellin to send disaster teams to support rescue efforts. “At this point, two people have already been rescued alive, one elderly woman and one young girl. There are more people trapped,” Eder told Blu Radio. “We have at least 12 critical points and 25 collapsed structures that we are responding to.” Colombian officials said they did not fear a tsunami after the early-morning quake, which was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. It prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw, while news footage showed collapsed buildings elsewhere in the country. The governor of Colombia’s Choco province wrote on X that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the department’s capital Quibdo. News outlets aired footage of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Pereira and Manizales in a tourist region called Eje Cafetero. ‘Strong, really strong’ “There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house,” Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Eje Cafetero, which means coffee-growing region, told AFP. Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia’s third largest city, also reported “major damage” that was being evaluated with drones. At least 20 buildings collapsed in the city, with people trapped inside, the mayor said. The city has requested teams from Bogota and Medellin to aid in rescue efforts, he added. “The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29 year old content creator in Bogota. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. These airports serve Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, the agency wrote on X. Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on Blu Radio that damage in the national capital appeared to be limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would travel to the quake-hit region. News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake. In Bogota some people ran out into the street in their pajamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage.

BOGOTÁ, Colombia (AFP) — A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia and neighbouring Latin American countries on Monday, with at least 18 people confirmed dead in first reports as shocked residents surveyed destroyed buildings. Emergency teams rushed to help victims and search for survivors in the rubble after geologists recorded the quake at a magnitude of 7.4 with an epicentre 100 km (60 miles) deep in the west of the country. The early-morning quake was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela -- itself hit by a devastating quake in late June -- and prompted building evacuations in the Colombian capital Bogota, AFP reporters saw. News footage showed collapsed buildings across western Colombia, though officials said they did not fear a tsunami. At least 18 people were killed in the city of Pereira alone, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio, adding "the situation is critical." The governor of Colombia's Choco province wrote on X that there was serious damage in the provincial capital Quibdo, where video showed collapsed buildings. Choco was at the epicentre of the quake, and the death toll from the area was not immediately known. READ: Major quake rocks Colombia and other countries, causing damage and injuries Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia's third largest city, reported at least 20 buildings had collapsed and people were trapped as "major damage" that was being evaluated with drones. News outlets aired images of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Manizales. "There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house," Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Eje Cafetero, which means coffee-growing region, told AFP. "The quake was very, very strong," said Valeria Polo, a 29-year-old content creator in Bogota. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on Blu Radio that damage in the national capital appeared to be limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would travel to the quake-hit region. In Bogota, people ran out into the street in their pyjamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked parts of Colombia. The death toll is growing as emergency responders scour the rubble of damaged buildings. CBS News' Camilo Montoya-Galvez and Jessica Burch have more.

Colombia: At least 20 people were killed and dozens of buildings collapsed after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, trapping residents under debris and leaving several people injured.The tremors prompted people to evacuate their homes and were felt as far away as the capital, Bogota, as well as neighbouring Ecuador.Epicentre In Choco RegionThe epicentre was in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region, about 400 kilometres west of Bogota, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and its Colombian counterpart.The USGS said the earthquake struck at a depth of 107 kilometres.Local officials confirmed that at least 18 people were killed in Pereira and two in Manizales.NEW footage is circulating from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia's Pacific region today. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó department, at a depth of around 96 km. It was felt strongly across much of Colombia—including Bogotá, Medellín, and… pic.twitter.com/X03limcIts— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 10, 2026 Cities across western Colombia were left badly damaged, with residents and rescue workers searching through the rubble as authorities warned of possible aftershocks.Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, Colombia's third-biggest city, said he saw plumes of dust rising across the city from his home in the mountains as buildings collapsed after the earthquake.Residents and rescue workers in Cali were already searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings on Monday morning.“My entire house shook,” Moncayo said. “I've never lived through such a powerful earthquake.”Colombia Earthquake: Powerful 7.4-Magnitude Quake Kills At Least 18, Severe Damage Reported | VideosCathedral Tower Collapses In ManizalesIn Manizales, a city in Colombia's coffee-producing mountains, one of the towers of the neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed and fell on the nave.Manizales Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said two people had died in the city “because of the quake” and urged residents to remain outside because of the risk of aftershocks.Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba said on social media that “there are injuries and serious damage to buildings" in Quibdo, the regional capital with a population of about 130,000. She did not provide further details.Footage shared by local media outlets showed homes and small buildings collapsing in Pereira, Cali and Quibdo.In Cali, a city of 2 million people, Mayor Alejandro Eder said residents were trapped in at least 19 buildings that had collapsed.Small earthquakes, locally known as “temblores,” are common in central and western Colombia, but earthquakes above magnitude 6.0 are rare. In 1999, a magnitude-6.2 earthquake near Armenia killed more than 1,100 people.Also Watch:President Takes Charge Of Emergency ResponseColombia's newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella said on Monday that he had personally taken charge of the government's emergency response in San José del Palmar following the earthquake.“You are not alone. The state is present and taking action,” he said.The earthquake came after two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela in quick succession in late June. Those earthquakes destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.

The quake shook several major cities, including Bogotá, Cali and Medellín. At least 20 people were reported dead in the city of Pereira, about 35 miles from the epicenter.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at a depth of 107 kilometres. The earthquake was also felt in neighbouring Ecuador.

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, sending tremors across the country and neighbouring Ecuador and prompting people to evacuate homes and buildings.A video capturing the impact of the earthquake showed a church structure collapsing amid violent tremors. In the footage, people can be seen clinging to one another as the ground shakes. After the tremors briefly appeared to subside, another strong jolt struck the area, causing the church structure in the background to collapse.Large chunks of the building came crashing down, sending rubble onto the ground as a thick cloud of dust spread through the area. The footage showed people continuing to hold onto each other as the violent shaking persisted. TERREMOTO EN COLOMBIA Daños enormes en Pereira y varias ciudades del país tras potente terremoto de magnitud 7,4. | COBERTURA ININTERRUMPIDA. | AHORA en @AlertaNews24. pic.twitter.com/PydNenQcVu— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) August 10, 2026 Colombia Earthquake: Terrifying Videos Show Buildings Shaking As 7.4-Magnitude Quake Strikes Pacific Coast, Damage ReportedThe epicentre of the earthquake was reported in San Jose Del Palmar, a municipality in Colombia’s Choco region located around 250 miles (400 kilometres) west of the capital Bogota, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia’s counterpart.The USGS said the earthquake occurred at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometres).Choco Governor Nubia Cordoba said on social media that there were “injuries and serious damage to buildings” in the regional capital. She did not immediately provide further details about the extent of the damage or casualties.The earthquake also prompted residents in affected areas to flee buildings as the tremors were felt across parts of Colombia and Ecuador.The latest earthquake comes weeks after Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude in late June. Those earthquakes reportedly destroyed hundreds of buildings and killed more than 5,000 people.(With Inputs From PTI)

A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia and neighbouring Latin American countries on Monday, with medical teams rushing to help victims after buildings were damaged or collapsed in several cities. The death toll after the earthquake has risen to at least 20, authorities said. The Colombian geological service and its American counterpart USGS put the magnitude at 7.4, with an epicentre 100km underground in the west of the country. Colombia had initially put it at 6.6. In the town of Pereira, 18 people were killed and others were trapped in buildings that collapsed, Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio. “The situation is critical,” Salazar said after the quake centered in neighbouring Choco province. In Manizales, two people were killed, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas said in an interview with Blu Radio. Colombian officials said they did not fear a tsunami after the early-morning quake, which was also felt in Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. It prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw, while news footage showed collapsed buildings elsewhere in the country. The governor of Colombia’s Choco province wrote on X that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the department’s capital Quibdo. News outlets aired footage of buildings also destroyed in cities such as Pereira and Manizales in a tourist region called Eje Cafetero. ‘Strong, really strong’ “There is no electricity or cell phone coverage. It was strong, really strong. Things fell in my house,” Martha Estrada, a 66-year-old resident of Eje Cafetero, which means coffee-growing region, told AFP. Alejandro Eder, the mayor of Cali, Colombia’s third largest city, also reported “major damage” that was being evaluated with drones. At least 20 buildings collapsed in the city, with people trapped inside, the mayor said. The city has requested teams from Bogota and Medellin to aid in rescue efforts, he added. “The quake was very, very strong,” said Valeria Polo, a 29 year old content creator in Bogota. Six small airports in western Colombia suspended operations, the civil aeronautics agency said. These airports serve Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, the agency wrote on X. Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan said on Blu Radio that damage in the national capital appeared to be limited to cracks in the facades of houses and buildings. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would travel to the quake-hit region. News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake. In Bogota some people ran out into the street in their pajamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage.

Dramatic videos have surfaced showing the intense shaking caused by a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia's Pacific coast on Monday, sending tremors across several parts of the country.The footage shows buildings and structures violently shaking as the powerful tremors rippled through the region. People can be heard reacting to the sudden movement, while scenes from affected areas show damage to buildings and infrastructure.Quake Strikes Off Colombia's Pacific CoastThe earthquake was centred near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, with the Colombian Geological Service later reporting a depth of around 96 km.More video has surfaced from the earthquake that rocked Colombia’s Pacific coast, and the tremors reached all the way to Bogotá. Magnitude 6.6 to 6.7 depending on the source, centered near San José del Palmar in Chocó province. Buildings damaged, injuries already being… pic.twitter.com/9SPmjO75m3— Tony Lane (@TonyLaneNV) August 10, 2026 Initial estimates had placed the magnitude between 6.6 and 6.7, but subsequent updates revised it to 7.4. The strongest impact was reported in Chocó, including the city of Quibdó, where authorities reported damage and injuries.BREAKING - Powerful #earthquake rocks #Colombia pic.twitter.com/pBUM5Iy5yu— Masood (@Masood9876) August 10, 2026 Damage, Injuries Reported In ChocóChocó Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi and Risaralda Governor Juan Diego Patiño reported damage to buildings and infrastructure as authorities began assessing the extent of the destruction.Strong earthquake tremors were felt in #Pereira, Colombia, as the ground shook and residents were left frightened. #Temblor pic.twitter.com/Q5pS11KtI4— Mahrosh Pervaiz (@MahroshPervaiz1) August 10, 2026 Colombia: Significant damage reported in Pereira following the powerful M7.2 earthquake earlier.Buildings have collapsed, with reports of people trapped beneath the rubble. pic.twitter.com/o1ZlmBiaP5— Volcaholic (@volcaholic1) August 10, 2026 Officials have been coordinating with local emergency agencies to inspect affected areas and respond to reports of injuries. Authorities have also warned residents to remain alert for possible aftershocks.Abelardo De La Espriella Sworn In As Colombia President, Vows Crackdown On Armed Groups & Revival Of Oil-Gas Sector | VideoTremors Felt In Bogotá, VenezuelaThe powerful earthquake was felt far beyond the epicentre, with tremors reaching Bogotá and other parts of Colombia. Reports also indicated that the shaking was felt across the border in Venezuela.Despite the earthquake's strength, the US tsunami warning system reported no tsunami threat following the event.Authorities continue to assess the damage and coordinate emergency response operations as more information emerges from affected areas.

At least 20 people have been killed in a major earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, causing injuries and damage to buildings and prompting evacuations in the capital, Bogota. Colombia’s geological service measured the quake at magnitude 6.6, while the US Geological Survey put it at 7.4. The tremor was felt across parts of Latin America, including Ecuador and Panama.

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, damaging buildings in the Pacific department of Chocó and sending office workers into the streets in Bogotá, Quito and Panama City. The quake hit at 7:34 a.m. Colombian time — 6:34 a.m. here in Costa Rica — with its epicenter about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from […] The post Powerful Earthquake Strikes Colombia’s Pacific Coast appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

A powerful earthquake rocked Colombia and other Latin American countries on Monday, causing unspecified damage and injuries and building evacuations in Bogota. The Colombian geological service put the magnitude of the quake at 6.6 while its American counterpart USGS put it at 7.4, with an epicenter 100 km (62 miles) underground in the west of Colombia. It was felt in Ecuador and as far away as Panama to the north, and prompted building evacuations in Bogota, AFP reporters saw. The governor of Colombia's Choco province wrote on X that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the department's capital Quibdo. The mayor of Cali, Colombia's third largest city, also reported "major damage." News outlets aired footage of some buildings with their facades ripped off by the quake. In Bogota some people ran out into the street in their pajamas as emergency sirens rang out, AFP reporters saw. Twin earthquakes in Venezuela of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on June 24 killed more than 6,000 people and caused devastating property damage.

The USGS reported a 7.4 magnitude, deep earthquake with the epicenter in San José Del Palmar, about 250 miles west of the capital, Bogota.