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NewsWPLG Local 10 – EspañolAugust 10, 2026Miami-Dade

7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Colombia, Causing Widespread Damage and Fatalities

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck northwestern Colombia on Monday, resulting in at least 79 confirmed deaths and numerous building collapses across multiple departments. President Abelardo de la Espriella has established a Unified Command Post to coordinate emergency rescue operations and disaster response.

earthquakeemergency responsepublic safetyinfrastructureColombia
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10 – Español

Why It Matters

The earthquake is the strongest in Colombia in a decade, causing significant loss of life, destruction of critical infrastructure including hospitals and airports, and widespread service disruptions across several regions.

Key Facts

  • A 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurred at 7:34 AM local time with an epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó.
  • At least 79 deaths have been confirmed across multiple departments.
  • At least 80 people are reported injured in Chocó.
  • 30 structures have collapsed in Cali with people trapped inside.
  • 12 buildings are destroyed and 20 homes collapsed in Manizales.
  • The Hospital Universitario de Cali suffered a partial collapse with patients trapped in the ICU.
  • Operations at airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura are suspended due to structural damage.
  • Two aftershocks of magnitudes 2.8 and 4.8 were recorded.
  • The earthquake was caused by the subduction of the Nazca plate under the South American plate.
  • The event is the highest magnitude earthquake in Colombia in the last decade.

Who's Mentioned

personAndrés Julián Rendón“Governor of Antioquia”personJosé Eduardo Rojas“Mayor of Manizales”personAbelardo de la Espriella“President of Colombia”personDiego Patiño“Governor of Risaralda”organizationUSGS“United States Geological Survey”personNubia Córdoba“Governor of Chocó”personAlejandro Eder“Mayor of Cali”personDilian Francisca Toro“Governor of Valle del Cauca”locationSan José del Palmar“Epicenter of the earthquake”