Severe electrical storm causes major flooding in Quibdó, compounding earthquake damage

Quibdó, the capital of Colombia's Chocó department, is grappling with severe flooding following a powerful electrical storm that struck on the night of August 13, 2026. This new emergency has worsened the situation for residents already affected by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake on August 10. At least 10 neighborhoods are reported to be inundated, including a temporary shelter housing pregnant women and infants who had been relocated due to earthquake damage to their homes. Local media reports indicate that the heavy rains have created further difficulties for families already displaced and struggling to return to their damaged residences. The city has also experienced nights marked by intense rain, electrical storms, and power outages. Mayor Rafael Bolaños Pino stated that the storm caused damage to the Mayor's Office, including computers and documents. However, his immediate priority was the situation at the temporary shelter. City officials coordinated the relocation of affected families to the Coliseo del Jardín, a facility deemed to offer better safety conditions. This operation involved taxi drivers, the National Police, and citizens assisting the displaced. The earthquake's aftermath has been devastating, with the Chocó Governor's Office reporting 13 deaths, 182 injuries, and eight disappearances as of August 12. Over 8,000 families have been affected, with thousands of homes destroyed or damaged, and seven vehicular bridges compromised.

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We were at the Mayor's Office when the downpour began (...) immediately we realized that here, at the shelter, it was also flooding.