Post by : Badri Ariffin

At least 111 people were killed after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, August 10, 2026, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The powerful earthquake caused buildings to collapse in several cities, trapping people under debris and leaving others injured. Residents were forced to leave their homes as emergency teams began rescue and response operations.

Earthquake Epicentre in San Jose del Palmar

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was centred near San Jose del Palmar, a community of around 4,800 people in Colombia’s Choco region, about 400 kilometres west of Bogota.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 107 kilometres. Strong tremors were also felt in neighbouring Ecuador.

18 Deaths Reported in Pereira

Pereira Mayor Mauricio Salazar told Caracol Radio that 18 of the people killed were from Pereira and described the situation as "critical."

Footage released by local media showed homes and smaller buildings collapsing in Pereira, Cali and Quibdo.

In Manizales, located around 300 kilometres west of Bogota, one of the towers of the city's neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed.

Rescue Teams Search Collapsed Buildings

Rescue workers were deployed to damaged areas to search for survivors and assist people trapped beneath collapsed structures.

Images from the affected areas showed rescuers working around damaged buildings, while residents evacuated their homes following the earthquake.

Colombia President Takes Charge of Response

Following the earthquake, Colombia's newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella said on Monday that he had taken charge of the government's response to the emergency in San Jose del Palmar.

In a statement, he said he was travelling to Bogota to focus on the national emergency and had called a Unified Command Post at the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).

He said he would personally lead efforts to assist communities in Choco, the Coffee Region and other affected areas.

"You are not alone. The state is present and taking action," he said.

Six Airports Damaged and Operations Suspended

Colombia's civil aeronautics agency said that six airports were damaged by the earthquake and had suspended operations.

The affected airports serve Pereira, Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, according to the agency's statement on X.

Strong Earthquakes Rare in Central and Western Colombia

Small earthquakes, locally known as "temblores," are common in central and western Colombia. However, earthquakes above magnitude 6.0 are considered rare in the region.

A previous 6.2 magnitude earthquake near Armenia killed more than 1,100 people.

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