Powerful earthquake shakes Colombia: buildings collapse, people killed, six airports closed

On August 10, 2026, a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western and central Colombia. The epicenter was located in the department of Chocó, near the municipality of San José del Palmar. Tremors were felt across many regions of the country, while the heaviest consequences were reported in Pereira, Manizales, Cali, Buenaventura and Chocó itself. Rescue workers are clearing rubble, as reports emerged in the first hours after the disaster that people were trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

The earthquake occurred on the morning of Monday, August 10, at approximately 07:34 local time. The Colombian Geological Service initially estimated a lower magnitude, but later revised it to 7.4. According to the updated seismological report, the focus was located at a depth of about 96 kilometers, while the epicenter was in the area of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó.

Strong tremors were felt across a vast area. Reports of the earthquake came from Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Pereira, Manizales, Armenia, Ibagué and other cities. The tremors were also felt outside Colombia — in some areas of Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama.

In major cities, people fled buildings in panic. In Bogotá, authorities immediately began inspecting infrastructure, although no reports of deaths or serious damage in the capital had been received at the initial stage.

Initial reports of destruction

Almost immediately after the earthquake, videos showing the consequences of the disaster began to emerge. The situation was particularly severe in Cali — one of the country’s largest cities.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said that at least 19 buildings had collapsed in the city, and that people might have been underneath some of them. City authorities requested assistance from rescue units in Bogotá and Medellín to carry out search-and-rescue operations.

The published footage showed destroyed structures, damaged buildings and people trying to escape dangerous areas. Rescue services began inspecting buildings and clearing rubble in search of possible victims.

Chocó: the first victims

At the same time, the first reports of deaths and injuries began arriving from the department of Chocó, where the earthquake’s epicenter was located.

The initial operational tally reported one death, ten injured people and three missing persons. As more information came in, the figure began to change rapidly.

Local authorities later reported a higher number of deaths in different settlements across the region. This was one of the first signs that the scale of the disaster was considerably greater than initial estimates suggested.

Pereira and Manizales among the worst-hit areas

As rescue operations continued, it became clear that serious destruction had occurred not only in Cali and Chocó.

The situation was particularly severe in Pereira, where initial reports indicated numerous destroyed structures and deaths. Residential buildings and other structures also collapsed in Manizales. The city’s mayor reported dozens of damaged or destroyed buildings, including homes and churches.

By midday, the death toll began to rise sharply. According to Reuters, at one stage of the rescue operation, 20 deaths were reported: 18 people had died in Pereira, another three in Manizales and one in Buenaventura. Later, several sources reported that the death toll had reached 22.

Thus, the initial information about one death in Chocó reflected only the first hours after the disaster and was not the final nationwide tally.

Impact on airports

The earthquake also seriously affected transport infrastructure.

Colombia’s Aeronáutica Civil temporarily suspended operations at six airports to inspect the condition of terminals and runway infrastructure.

The list included the airports of Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.

Footage showing damage to Matecaña International Airport in Pereira was also released. Flights were suspended as a safety measure: specialists were required to inspect buildings and infrastructure before the airports could resume operations.

Thus, the consequences of the earthquake affected not only residential areas but also key transport hubs in western Colombia.

New tremors were recorded throughout the day

After the main earthquake, aftershocks were recorded near the epicenter. In particular, tremors measuring 4.8 and 2.8 were reported, complicating the work of rescuers and forcing specialists to closely monitor the condition of damaged structures.

Rescue units continued inspecting collapsed buildings in Cali and other cities. Their main task remained searching for people who might have been trapped beneath the rubble.

What was known by the latest update

By the end of the day, the scale of the tragedy had become significantly clearer than it had been in the first hours after the earthquake.

According to Reuters, the death toll had reached at least 22 people, dozens had been injured, and buildings had been destroyed or seriously damaged in several cities. In Cali, rescuers continued working at collapse sites where people had earlier reportedly been trapped beneath the rubble.

Six airports in western Colombia remained closed for technical inspections. Authorities continued collecting information about destruction and casualties, so the final figures could change.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espryella interrupted his planned agenda in Bogotá and instructed the national risk management system to establish an emergency operations center to coordinate rescue efforts and assess the damage.

The earthquake became one of the most serious natural disasters to hit Colombia in recent years. Authorities are particularly concerned that a significant portion of the destruction occurred in densely populated cities, while rescue operations continue amid further tremors.