Colombia Earthquake: Death Toll Climbs Past 130 After 7.4-Magnitude Quake

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By TRH World Desk

Latest updates on the 7.4-magnitude Colombia earthquake near San José del Palmar, Chocó — death toll, damage in Cali, Pereira, and rescue efforts.

New Delhi, August 11, 2026 — A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake tore through western Colombia early Monday morning, killing more than 130 people, collapsing dozens of buildings, and triggering the country’s first declaration of a national disaster in years. The quake, centered near the small Chocó municipality of San José del Palmar, was felt as far away as Bogotá, Quito, and Panama City — and by nightfall, rescue crews were still digging through rubble in at least three major cities.

According to Colombia’s Geological Service (SGC), the earthquake hit at roughly 7:34 a.m. local time on Monday, August 10, with its epicenter about 20 kilometers from San José del Palmar in the northwestern department of Chocó — one of the poorest regions in the country. The U.S. Geological Survey placed the quake at a depth of around 96–107 kilometers, and Colombian officials called it the strongest to hit the country in over a decade.

Dozens of aftershocks followed. The SGC reported more than 20 tremors within hours of the initial quake, including a 4.8-magnitude aftershock near the original epicenter, and warned residents that seismic activity could continue for days or weeks as the earth’s crust settles.

Death Toll Rising by the Hour

The human toll has climbed steadily throughout the day. Colombia’s El Tiempo reported the number of confirmed deaths rising from an initial estimate of 20 to more than 124 within hours, while later live updates from El Tiempo cited the Colombian association of mayors, Asocapitales, putting the toll at 132 dead and over 570 injured as aftershocks continued.

President Abelardo de la Espriella, addressing the country from a unified command post, gave an official mid-day tally: 111 dead, 87 injured, 61 collapsed buildings, 1,575 damaged homes, and 37 homes destroyed. He said the disaster had also damaged 18 health centers, 52 schools, 17 community centers, and 18 roads.

Cali and Pereira Among the Hardest Hit

Colombia’s third-largest city, Cali, was in the middle of a week-long Afro-Pacific cultural festival when the ground began to shake. A local taxi driver described the scene to NBC News, saying the city had “many damaged buildings, collapsed buildings, people trapped, and fatalities.” Rescue teams and volunteers spent the day clearing debris in search of survivors, and according to a local official cited by CNN, several patients were trapped beneath the wreckage of a partially collapsed hospital in the city.

In Pereira, videos circulating on social media showed ceiling panels crashing down inside the city’s airport as travellers dove for cover. Colombia’s civil aviation authority confirmed that airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura had sustained damage, grounding commercial flights pending structural inspections.

San José del Palmar: Cut Off and Struggling

At the epicenter itself, the response has been complicated by isolation. Local outlet El Colombiano reported that landslides blocked the town’s main access road, slowing the arrival of rescue teams and humanitarian aid. Mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada told El Tiempo his municipality was still assessing the damage but estimated roughly 400 homes affected and about 20 structures completely collapsed. The town’s local ombudsman added that San José del Palmar was without electricity or running water, with several rural schools also damaged.

International relief organizations have flagged Chocó’s existing poverty and lack of infrastructure as a major complicating factor in the response. One aid director focused on Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador told NBC News the region’s fragility means the disaster will make it even harder for residents to access healthcare and other essential services.

President de la Espriella has declared a state of national disaster, freeing up emergency funding, and said he plans to travel to the affected region personally. Soldiers are being deployed to support search-and-rescue operations, and officials are prioritizing the air evacuation of the injured to better-equipped hospitals in Risaralda and Valle del Cauca. Colombia’s football federation has postponed upcoming matches, and Bogotá officials say the capital has so far reported only minor cracking in buildings, with no major structural failures confirmed.

Given the string of aftershocks recorded throughout the day, Colombian authorities are urging residents in Chocó, Valle del Cauca, and Risaralda to stay alert and avoid damaged structures as recovery efforts continue.

(Casualty figures are preliminary and expected to change as search-and-rescue operations continue.)