Antioquia and Medellín extend their helping hand: air rescue and humanitarian corridor to address the earthquake tragedy in Chocó and the country

Government and Mayor's Office send rescuers, dogs, and helicopters to Chocó, while activating a collection and donation network in the capital of Antioquia. Support from Medellín and Antioquia after the earthquake Photo: Government of Antioquia. 10.08.2026 18:06 Updated: 10.08.2026 18:06 After the powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake recorded on the morning of this Monday, August 10, with epicenter in San José del Palmar, Antioquia, Medellín quickly deployed all its operational capacity to assist the most affected areas of the country. Since the afternoon, the Government of Antioquia activated four civilian helicopters to urgently transport a specialized team of 18 Red Cross and Civil Defense rescuers to the department of Chocó. This air contingent is complemented by a ground operation consisting of 22 Red Cross units, 11 Civil Defense units with three search dogs trained for collapsed structures, and 100 members of the National Army. Support from Medellín and Antioquia after the earthquake Photo: Government of Antioquia. This large regional mobilization is joined by the technical capacity of the capital of Antioquia, coordinated from the Unified Command Post by Mayor Federico Gutiérrez. Medellín prepared a highly qualified search and rescue unit (USAR Medellín Firefighters) composed of 21 experts in collapsed structures and two specialized engineers. This task force is awaiting directives from the National Government to move to the areas with the greatest impact, including Quibdó, Manizales, Pereira, or Cali. Support from Medellín and Antioquia after the earthquake Photo: Government of Antioquia. To complement the operational effort on the ground, the District Administration established a humanitarian corridor to coordinate the collection and logistics of basic supplies. Citizens wishing to join the cause can donate water, non-perishable food, personal hygiene items, mats, and blankets at the headquarters of the Archdiocesan Food Bank Foundation and the Saciar Foundation. Additionally, a digital channel for monetary donations was enabled through the Presentes Corporation, strengthening the support network for affected families across the country. Support from Medellín and Antioquia after the earthquake Photo: Government of Antioquia. Locally, the departmental balance shows ongoing assessment in the 80 municipalities that reported updates. The official report maintains the figure of one deceased citizen in Támesis and 12 people receiving medical attention at various healthcare centers. Regarding physical infrastructure, Dagran reports damages in 697 homes, 122 educational institutions, and 39 churches, with most damages concentrated in the municipalities of the Southwest and Eastern subregions of Antioquia. Follow all Colombia news on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. EL TIEMPO BULLETINS Register for our bulletins and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed about what truly matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWS Follow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Stay always updated with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPP Join El Tiempo's channel on WhatsApp to stay up to date with the most relevant news at the moment. EL TIEMPO APP Stay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL Reliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content unlimitedly.