Key Points
- More than 1,600 buildings reported damaged across affected areas
- Survivors recount terrifying shaking and collapsing structures
- Six-month-old baby and mother pulled alive from rubble
ISLAMABAD: At least 132 people have been killed and more than 570 injured after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, as rescue teams and residents searched collapsed buildings for survivors.
The earthquake struck on Monday near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, about 400 kilometres west of the capital Bogotá, according to the United States Geological Survey.
WATCH: What Happened When The Earthquake Hit Colombia:
Shocking footage captures the moment the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, sending buildings and streets into chaos as people scrambled for safety.#Colombia #Earthquake #BreakingNews #EarthquakeAlert…
— Sajjad Tarakzai (@SajjadTarakzai) August 10, 2026
The tremor caused widespread damage across western Colombia, with several people trapped beneath debris.
Rescuers worked through rubble in cities including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales, searching for people who may have survived the collapse of buildings.
More than 1,600 buildings were damaged, and at least 61 completely collapsed, according to initial assessments.
The scale of the disaster remained difficult to assess in parts of the Chocó region because of its remote terrain and disrupted communications. Emergency teams were also dealing with damaged infrastructure and unstable structures while continuing rescue operations.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national state of emergency and ordered the mobilisation of government resources for rescue and relief operations. Hospitals in affected areas were placed on alert to deal with the large number of casualties.
ALSO READ: Colombia Powerful Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 77
The earthquake was the strongest recorded in Colombia this century, according to officials and seismic monitoring data. Its epicentre was located in the sparsely populated Chocó region, but strong tremors were felt across a much wider area.
Authorities warned that the death toll could rise as rescue workers reach more damaged areas and continue searching beneath collapsed structures.
🇨🇴 | URGENTE: Momento del derrumbe de un edificio de 3 pisos tras el terremoto de magnitud 7,4 en Pereira, Colombia. pic.twitter.com/r3v2lW5pU3
— Alerta News 24 (@AlertaNews24) August 10, 2026
Colombia is located in a seismically active part of South America, where the movement and interaction of tectonic plates frequently produce earthquakes. The latest disaster has caused extensive disruption across several western cities and triggered a major national rescue and relief operation.
The tremor was felt across much of Colombia and in neighbouring Ecuador, Panama and Venezuela.
The worst-hit areas included Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales, where buildings collapsed, and hospitals and other infrastructure were damaged.
More than 1,600 buildings were reported damaged, including at least 61 that completely collapsed.
In Cali, residents joined emergency workers in digging through debris, passing chunks of concrete down lines of volunteers.
Álvaro López, who watched the search clutching his dog, said his own building had been largely destroyed and the one next to it had completely collapsed.
The scale of the destruction was reflected in accounts by surviving people of the shaking. Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, said he saw clouds of dust rising across the city as buildings collapsed.
“My entire house shook. I’ve never lived through such a powerful earthquake,” Moncayo said.
Rescuers were racing against time to reach people trapped beneath the rubble. Mauricio Andrade, a firefighter in Cali, said his team had rescued two women and two children from a collapsed building and was preparing to reach more people.
“They are alive,” Andrade said. “We are making space so we can free them and get them out.”
Carmen Yasmin Garcia, a 43-year-old Cali resident who joined the rescue effort, said volunteers had helped seven people escape from a collapsed building, but four others and a dog remained trapped.
She said rescuers had heard scratching from beneath the rubble but could no longer hear it, adding that they still hoped those trapped were alive.
Six-month-old daughter and mother survive Colombia quake
In another rescue, workers and volunteers pulled a six-month-old girl and her mother alive from beneath the rubble of a five-storey building in Cali. Footage also showed rescue workers using ropes to evacuate people from the windows of a damaged hospital.
Saul Paz, 69, said he had been eating with his wife and son in his apartment when the earthquake struck. His residential complex was partially destroyed.
“I think if it had lasted five seconds more, there would be nothing left,” Paz said.
The rescue operation has been complicated by damaged roads and communications, particularly in the remote Chocó region. Emergency teams have also faced unstable structures and continuing aftershocks as they search for people who may remain trapped.
The United States has pledged $15.5 million in assistance, with other countries also offering support.
The earthquake is the strongest recorded in Colombia this century. Its depth of about 107 kilometres helped spread the shaking across a wide area, with authorities recording numerous aftershocks after the main tremor.
Colombia is prone to earthquakes because it lies in a seismically active region where tectonic plates interact. The latest disaster comes after deadly earthquakes struck neighbouring Venezuela in recent weeks, adding to concern across the region.
