Colombia earthquake: 7.4 magnitude quake kills over 100, triggers disaster declaration

A violent 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on the morning of August 10, 2026, with its epicenter near the municipality of San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. The seismic event, the most devastating in the country in a decade, shook the west and center of Colombia with intermediate-depth waves, felt severely in major cities like Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó.

Preliminary reports from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management and the Colombian Geological Service indicate a grim toll: over 100 people dead, nearly 100 injured, and dozens trapped under debris. The hardest-hit areas include the department of Risaralda, where its capital, Pereira, alone recorded dozens of fatalities, along with significant impact in Valle del Cauca, Caldas, and Chocó.

In response to the catastrophe's magnitude, the Colombian government declared a national state of disaster to expedite rescue resource mobilization. Air operations at the airports of Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, and Armenia were suspended due to cracks and partial collapses in their structures. Emergency teams and rescuers continue to work tirelessly, removing debris and inspecting collapsed buildings in the main cities of the Coffee Axis and southwestern Colombia.

Miguel Henrique Otero, president and editor of El Nacional newspaper, expressed deep solidarity with Colombia's earthquake victims. "I deeply sympathize with the victims of the earthquake that has struck Colombia. I send my most sincere support to the affected families, the injured, and all those suffering at this difficult time," he stated via X. Otero emphasized the historical ties and fraternity between Venezuela and Colombia, concluding, "May the strength and resilience of the Colombian people help you overcome this tragedy. We are together in this pain. Strength Colombia."