A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.4 hits western Colombia, causing dozens of deaths and significant material damage

Source of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, People search for survivors among the rubble of a collapsed building in Cali. Author, Atahualpa AmeriseAuthor title, BBC News MundoPublication date August 10, 2026, 13:26 GMTUpdated 22 minutesReading time: 6 minThe western region of Colombia experienced a powerful earthquake this Monday with its epicenter in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó, which was felt throughout much of the country. The earthquake of magnitude 7.4, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), had a depth of 107 km, and occurred at 7:34 a.m., local time. The quake caused significant material and human damage in cities such as Cali, Pereira, and Manizales, with an initial death toll of over 80. Local authorities have currently reported 42 deaths in the Risaralda department (to which Pereira belongs), 27 in Valle del Cauca (whose capital is Cali), 4 in Chocó, and 2 in Manizales. The general director of the Colombian Geological Service, Julio Fierro Morales, assured that this is the "strongest earthquake felt in the last decade in the country." Colombia mobilizes for rescueNumerous buildings collapsed and others were evacuated as a precaution in Bogotá and in cities of the Coffee Axis, as well as in the departments of Tolima, Huila, and Valle del Cauca, among other places. Colombia's president, Abelardo de la Espriella, who took office last Friday in Cali, arrived in the capital to focus on disaster management."I have convened a Unified Command Post at UNGRD, from where I will personally lead actions to assist the communities of Chocó, the Coffee Axis, and all affected areas," he said, in a post on social media X. Jump More read and continue readingMost readEnd of Most readCivil Aviation confirmed that more than ten airports were impacted by the earthquake and operations were suspended at seven of them, including Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura. Source of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, Damage caused by the earthquake in the city of Pereira. Source of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, The priority at this moment is to search for survivors who may be trapped under the rubble. The National Army mobilized five platoons of rescue soldiers to send to the affected areas. The units are trained to perform search and rescue tasks in collapsed structures and have specialized tools, technological equipment, and trained dogs to detect people under the debris, reported Caracol Radio. Images reproduced by this media show soldiers gathered with stretchers, generators, extraction materials, and other equipment to move to affected areas. The U.S. government announced that it "is prepared to support the Colombian people and the government of President Abelardo de la Espriella," in words of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Meanwhile, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa expressed his solidarity and offered Colombian authorities a team of 47 rescuers, dogs, and equipment over the next 7 days. Destruction in Cali, Pereira, and ManizalesSource of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, Building collapsed by the earthquake in the city of Manizales. Videos circulated by Colombian media show partially destroyed residential buildings in Pereira, less than 100 kilometers from the epicenter, and in Manizales, as well as in Cali and other localities in the department of Chocó. The governor of Chocó, Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi, confirmed that the department suffered significant damage after the strong seismic movement."We just experienced a serious seismic event in the department of Chocó. We are concerned about aftershocks. Although the epicenter was in San José del Palmar, in the capital, Quibdó, there are injured and serious damage to buildings," Córdoba-Curi wrote on her X account. Meanwhile, Cali's mayor, Alejandro Eder, indicated that more than 20 structures in the city have collapsed with people trapped. He asked citizens to remain calm and said he has requested support from the mayors of Bogotá and Medellín to send rescue teams."I was in one of the collapsed buildings. I managed to get out because I was alerted and had a few seconds' advantage, but there are many injured people and the city is destroyed," a woman from Cali told BBC Mundo. Source of the image, EPACaption, Damage caused by the earthquake in Cali. In Pereira, photos and videos from Colombian media and social networks show building collapses and severe damage to facilities, including the Matecaña International Airport. Videos show how the tremor causes materials from the airport terminal roof to fall, while travelers try to get to safety. In the nearby city of Manizales, images show partial destruction of the Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary. The church was built between 1928 and 1939 and is considered one of the architectural icons of the area. The mayor of Manizales, Jorge Eduardo Rojas, said that "more than 12 buildings" and "more than 20 houses" were completely or partially destroyed. According to Rojas, the city deployed all its response capabilities but assured that it is overwhelmed given the magnitude of the disaster. Source of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, The Manizales cathedral suffered significant damage. According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, there is no tsunami threat in the Pacific after the earthquake. Besides being felt throughout much of Colombia, the quake was also perceived in several provinces of Ecuador, including Pichincha, whose capital is Quito. Subsequently, the Colombian Geological Service recorded a aftershock of magnitude 4.6 at 8:18 a.m., with a shallow depth, centered in Nóvita, Chocó. Authorities continue to assess damages and there is still no consolidated national victim count. Why the earthquake occurredThe earthquake took place in an area of intense tectonic activity. San José del Palmar is in the west of the Western Cordillera, a region of high seismicity. Off the Pacific coast, the Nazca plate moves eastward and is subducting beneath the South American plate at about 65 millimeters per year. Source of the image, Getty ImagesCaption, The earthquake caused severe damage in Cali. The earthquake's depth indicates that its epicenter was within the oceanic plate submerged beneath the continent, which contributed to it being felt at great distances, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The region has several recent significant earthquake histories. On November 23, 1979, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake at a depth of about 100 kilometers affected the Coffee Axis. In February 1995, another tremor of magnitude 6.4 caused considerable damage in San José del Palmar, Pereira, and Dosquebradas. This is in addition to the earthquake in the Coffee Axis on January 25, 1999, a shallow magnitude 6.2 quake with its epicenter in Córdoba, Quindío, which devastated much of Armenia and left more than 1,000 dead. Download the new BBC World Service app. Choose BBC News Mundo and receive news alerts, documentaries, and analysis, all in one place. Important: the new app is not available in the United Kingdom or the United States.