Massive 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Western Colombia Triggering National Emergency
COLOMBIA: At least 111 people were killed and dozens more injured when a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, marking the largest seismic event in the country in a decade.
The major quake hit at 7:34 AM local time on Monday, August 10, 2026, with its epicenter located near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department. Violent tremors shook major urban centers and the coffee-growing region—triggering mass evacuations as far away as Bogotá and sending shockwaves into neighboring Ecuador and Panama.
Widespread infrastructure destruction hit cities like Pereira and Cali, where residential complexes, schools, and hospital wings suffered catastrophic collapses. Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella swiftly declared a national emergency, deploying military units and specialized rescue teams to dig through heavy rubble as authorities warned that the casualty toll is expected to climb.