A 7.4 magnitude earthquake shakes Colombia, leaving 132 dead
EL RIGOR · 11 de agosto de 2026, 07:39 · 3 min read
Cross-checked in sources from El Mundo, El País, Europa Press, La Bandera, Vozpópuli
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, leaving at least 132 dead and more than 570 injured. The epicentre was located in the department of Chocó, near the town of San Juan del Palmar, causing severe damage in several cities across the country, including Cali, Manizales, and Pereira.
The earthquake occurred at 7:34 am local time and lasted approximately one minute. The Colombian Geological Service placed the epicentre 20 kilometres from San Juan del Palmar, a small municipality in Chocó. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and is overseeing rescue efforts and assistance to victims from Bogotá.
In Cali, the capital of Valle del Cauca, Mayor Alejandro Eder has reported 188 missing persons and 35 fatalities. Additionally, there have been 700 injuries, 39 affected educational centres, and three hospitals that are completely overwhelmed. The mayor has also imposed a curfew in the city to prevent looting and facilitate rescue operations.
In Pereira, the capital of Risaralda department, Mayor Mauricio Salazar has confirmed at least 55 deaths and has imposed a curfew in the city. According to Salazar, there are 18 fully collapsed buildings and another 60 partially damaged. Classes have also been suspended in educational facilities due to structural damage.
The earthquake has also caused significant damage in Manizales, the capital of Caldas department. Camilo Arango, an analyst for the digital newspaper El Reportero de Manizales, described the situation: "I was in the lower part of Manizales. It started as a very mild tremor that gradually intensified, the ground moved like water waves, very quickly, and you felt everything breaking." Arango also mentioned that the city's cathedral has suffered considerable damage, along with clinics and hospitals.
President Abelardo de la Espriella confirmed that over 1,500 homes have been affected and 61 buildings have completely collapsed. "I entrust our country to Lord Jesus Christ," said the president in a public statement. De la Espriella also announced that he will travel to the Eje Cafetero to assess the situation and verify the government's response.
Iván Cepeda, a former presidential candidate from the Colombian left, called for unity and solidarity with the earthquake victims. "Colombia needs us united: unity, solidarity, and strength. First and foremost, life," Cepeda expressed on his X account.
Authorities have suspended operations at several airports, including those in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura, due to damage caused by the earthquake. Additionally, power outages and evacuations have been reported in Panama, where the earthquake was also strongly felt.
Governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba Curi, confirmed through social media platform X that Quibdó, the regional capital, has suffered severe structural damage to numerous buildings. Chocó, a region plagued by poverty, has been particularly affected by the earthquake, with two-thirds of its nearly 600,000 inhabitants living below the monetary poverty line.
The earthquake was also strongly felt in Bogotá and other parts of Colombia, as well as in Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.
President Abelardo de la Espriella announced that he will travel to the Eje Cafetero to evaluate the situation and verify the government's response. "I will be personally in Pereira to accompany those affected and verify the government's response," the president stated on X.
The tragedy has tested the beginning of De la Espriella's mandate, which began last Friday. The new government must coordinate efforts to assist victims and rebuild affected areas. The crisis has also highlighted the importance of effective and coordinated management during natural disasters.
The next step will be a comprehensive assessment of the damage and the implementation of assistance and reconstruction measures. Authorities will continue search and rescue operations, and plans for aid and reconstruction are expected to be announced in the coming hours.
Piece prepared by the newsroom from cross-checked sources in several countries.