Archive · 11 Aug 2026
Colombia earthquake death toll surges to 224 as rescue continues
An earthquake is when the ground suddenly shakes very hard.
Early Monday morning, a huge earthquake shook Colombia in South America.
It was one of the strongest quakes Colombia has felt in decades, and it hit the region where coffee is grown.
The shaking made many buildings fall down in cities like Cali and Pereira.
More than 200 people died, many were hurt, and thousands are still missing.
Rescue workers, police, soldiers, and volunteers are digging through broken buildings with machines and their bare hands.
They hope to find more people alive in the next 24 hours.
A hospital in Cali was badly damaged, so doctors cared for around 600 patients outside on the street.
Several airports were closed because of damage.
The president of Colombia sent extra security to keep people safe, and other countries are sending help.
People are working together to rescue survivors and support the families who lost their homes.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake, Colombia's most powerful in decades, struck the western coffee-growing region early on Monday, with the death toll reported around 224 by Tuesday (one municipal tally said 213, with over 900 injured and about 3,000 missing).
Hardest-hit areas include Cali, with about 95 deaths, Pereira with 66-72 deaths, Valle del Cauca with 38, plus deaths in Choco and Manizales, where a cathedral spire collapsed.
Rescuers, backed by police, soldiers and volunteers, dug through rubble with cranes, excavators and bare hands around the clock, saying approximately 24 more hours of hope remained for survivors.
Top floors of a Cali hospital, including pediatric wards, collapsed, trapping patients and forcing around 600 others to be treated on a rubble-strewn street.
President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national emergency and deployed 1,000 security forces to Cali after looting reports; curfews were imposed in Cali and Pereira, while six airports were closed and U.S. aid of $15.5 million was announced.
- Who
- Residents, rescue teams, police, soldiers, volunteers, Interior Minister Rodrigo Lara, hospital director Irne Torres Castro, and President Abelardo De La Espriella of Colombia
- What
- A 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed more than 200 people, destroyed buildings and disrupted infrastructure in western Colombia
- When
- Early Monday, with the death toll updated by local authorities on Tuesday (Aug 11)
- Where
- Western Colombia's coffee-growing region, including Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Valle del Cauca, Quibdo and Choco near the epicenter at San Jose del Palmar
- Why
- The articles do not state the geological cause, but note the quake struck at about 96 km depth; the destruction triggered the ongoing rescue and emergency response
Solidarity and cooperation
Order and security
Security response after looting
Solidarity and cooperation
Solidarity and unity matter most: "There are no distinctions or ideological divisions when it comes to defending our people or showing solidarity" (President De La Espriella).
Order and security
Looting reports require enforcement: 1,000 security forces were deployed to Cali and curfews were imposed in Cali and Pereira to maintain order.
- Magnitude
- 7.4
- Epicenter
- About three miles east of San Jose del Palmar, Choco, at 96 km (60 miles) depth
- Death toll
- Around 224 per local estimates by Tuesday; one mayors' association tally reported 213, with over 3,000 missing
- Hardest-hit city
- Cali, with at least 95 deaths and a population of about 2.2 million
- Other reported deaths
- 66-72 in Pereira, 38 in Valle del Cauca, 13 in Choco, 9 in Quibdo and 5 in Manizales
- Damage
- 165 buildings reported collapsed; nearly 5,000 homes damaged; six airports closed
- Hospital collapse
- Cali hospital's top floors, including pediatric wards, collapsed; about 600 patients treated outside
- Response
- National emergency declared; 1,000 security forces deployed to Cali; U.S. pledged $15.5 million; IDB made $50 million available
- Historical comparison
- A 1999 quake killed more than 1,000 in the same region; a June quake in Venezuela killed more than 6,300
