Rescuers in Colombia are racing against time to find survivors after the most powerful earthquake to strike the country in a decade left at least 164 people dead, 87 injured and dozens of buildings destroyed.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck yesterday morning local time in the department of Chocó, a poor Pacific coastal region, triggering panic across major cities in western Colombia.
"I ran out into the street with nothing. There were hundreds of people outside," said Julián Peña, a dentist living in Quibdó, the capital of Chocó. "Some of them were praying."
#Colombia 🚨 Una quebrada se desbordó en un barrio de Pereira, Risaralda, tras el fuerte movimiento telúrico registrado en la zona.
— Vanguardia (@vanguardiacom) August 10, 2026
Autoridades y organismos de emergencia permanecen atentos ante posibles afectaciones. ⚠️🇨🇴 pic.twitter.com/mP2g7f19oe
In Cali, one of the cities hardest hit by the quake, professional and volunteer rescuers worked with their bare hands to move debris while searching for signs of life.
Nelson Moreno joined the efforts hoping to rescue a friend trapped beneath the rubble of a complex consisting of two five-storey apartment buildings. His friend's father and young child were found alive, although injured.
"Right now we need flashlights and protective glasses," he said, as search operations continued through the night with hundreds of volunteers assisting.
Rescuers formed human chains to remove debris, while those on the front lines worked with shovels and basic tools.
Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office only three days earlier, declared a state of emergency and pledged coordinated rescue operations.
By the afternoon, 47 aftershocks had been recorded, according to Colombia's Geological Service.
🇨🇴⚡️ A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's Chocó Department, according to the USGS. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar at a depth of 107 km. Damage and casualties are currently being assessed. Injuries and structural damage have been reported in Quibdó.#Colombia… pic.twitter.com/ADYOvXsuk3
— Mr. Guardian (@MrGGuardian) August 10, 2026
"Desperate"
The president announced an updated nationwide death toll of 164 fatalities, as well as 87 injuries, around 1,500 damaged properties and 61 buildings that collapsed.
Six airports in western Colombia reported damage to their infrastructure and suspended commercial flights.
The epicentre was located near San José del Palmar in Chocó, where 13 deaths have been officially confirmed so far.
Wilmer Cuesta, a law student who joined rescue efforts, described scenes of panic.
"I saw people running outside naked, jumping from balconies from the second floor. People were desperate."
President de la Espriella visited Chocó during the day and later announced plans to travel to Cali, Colombia's third-largest city.
Messages of solidarity began arriving from around the world.
Governments across Latin America, as well as those of Israel, Spain, France, Greece and Cyprus, expressed support for Colombia.
The European Union announced it would activate Copernicus satellite services to assist rescue operations.
The United States, a key ally of the new administration, pledged $15.5 million in aid.
"A difficult situation"
In Pereira, located in Colombia's famous coffee-growing region, where a devastating earthquake in 1999 killed nearly 1,200 people, dozens of deaths have already been confirmed.
The city is experiencing a:
"Historic and difficult situation ... some health centres have been overwhelmed" by the number of injured people,
Mayor Mauricio Salazar told reporters.
In nearby Manizales, about 50 kilometres away, one of the four towers of the cathedral in Bolívar Square collapsed.
Authorities said at least 20 buildings were flattened in Cali alone.
"Many people came with equipment and food to help the firefighters," said volunteer rescuer Andrés Felipe Mejía.
In the capital, Bogotá, residents, some still wearing pyjamas, rushed from their homes after the quake. No major damage was reported in the city.
The earthquake was felt as far away as Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela. Venezuela is still recovering from the twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck on 24 June, where the provisional death toll exceeded 6,000 people.
(((TERREMOTO))) #Colombia Un potente movimiento telúrico con intensidad 7.4 ha sacudido hoy el país a las 07:34 hora local (12:34 GMT) epicentro #SanJoseDelPalmar #Chocó, a una profundidad de #82Km, al menos 20 edificios en #Cali han sido destruidos @SaulAcevedo @Bitacora58news pic.twitter.com/y0A40pCIo5
— BILLY CASTRO ♊️ CRGV #2111 (@Birrilly) August 10, 2026
All these countries lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically and volcanically active regions, where the movement of tectonic plates regularly triggers powerful earthquakes.
Source: CNA
