Colombia earthquake kills at least 132 people FAST-MOVING
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, August 10, 2026, with its epicenter located near San José de Palmar in the Chocó department. The seismic event, which was felt in neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela, has caused widespread destruction across the central and western regions of the country.
Preliminary reports from the Asociación Colombiana de Ciudades Capitales (Asocapitales) indicate at least 132 fatalities and over 570 injuries. The city of Pereira has been identified as the hardest-hit area, recording 60 deaths and significant infrastructure damage, including the closure of Matecaña International Airport and reports of people trapped in the Megacable teleférico system. Other major cities, including Cali, Quibdó, Manizales, and Armenia, remain under red alert.
President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a national state of disaster to coordinate emergency responses. In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder has implemented a curfew and requested military assistance to prevent looting and facilitate rescue operations. The earthquake has also caused the collapse of at least 86 buildings and forced the suspension of operations at six airports.
International aid has been pledged, with the United States government announcing $15.5 million in assistance for emergency shelter, food, and damage assessment. Additionally, the European Commission has deployed Copernicus satellite services to support rescue efforts.
Entities
Abelardo De La Espriella · Asocapitales · Cali · Chocó · Colombia · Colombian Geological Service · Dominican Republic · Government of Colombia · Juan Luis Guerra · Luis Abinader · Pereira · Rodrigo Lara
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 23 SOURCES] The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.4. rpp.pe · vigilanteinformativo.com · turquesanews.mx · elnorte.ec · www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · +17 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The epicenter was located in the Chocó department near San José del Palmar. www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · primiciadiario.com · hoydia.com.ar · tn.com.ar
- [● 2 SOURCES] Operations were suspended at several regional airports including Pereira, Manizales, and Cali. www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · primiciadiario.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The earthquake caused structural damage to homes in the Carchi province of Ecuador. elnorte.ec
- [● 2 SOURCES] A state of emergency and national disaster has been declared. www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · primiciadiario.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The earthquake caused the collapse of dozens of buildings in Pereira and Cali. www.nouvelles-du-monde.com · primiciadiario.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] At least 132 people have died and over 480 are injured. www.nouvelles-du-monde.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] A preliminary report confirmed at least 111 deaths and 87 injuries. primiciadiario.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] The earthquake's epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, Chocó, at a depth of 103 kilometers. elineanoticias.com · cybermexico.mx · cerolatitud.ec · deultimominuto.net · democratacoahuila.com · +1 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 5,000 homes in Cali are damaged or collapsed. deultimominuto.net
- [● 2 SOURCES] At least 188 people are missing in Cali. deultimominuto.net · lajornadasanluis.com.mx
- [DISPUTED] In Cali, there are 35 deaths and approximately 700 injuries. deultimominuto.net