NewsWPLG Local 10August 10, 2026Miami-Dade
Magnitude-7.4 earthquake strikes western Colombia, causing widespread building collapses and fatalities
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake centered in San Jose Del Palmar has resulted in at least 111 confirmed deaths and significant structural damage across western Colombia. The government has initiated emergency response efforts, with flights suspended in several cities and search-and-rescue operations underway for residents trapped in collapsed buildings.
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10Why It Matters
The earthquake is the most powerful in Colombia in the last decade, impacting over 20 municipalities and requiring a major national emergency response from the newly inaugurated administration.
Key Facts
- A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday.
- The epicenter was located in San Jose Del Palmar in the Choco region.
- At least 111 people have been confirmed dead.
- The earthquake occurred at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers).
- Casualties include 40 in Risaralda, 27 in Valle del Cauca, 9 in Choco, 2 in Caldas, and 1 in Antioquia.
- More than 20 municipalities across the country have been affected.
- Flights are suspended in Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura, and Pereira.
- This is the highest magnitude earthquake registered in Colombia in the last decade.
- Two aftershocks of 2.8 and 4.8 magnitude were recorded.
- At least 19 buildings collapsed in Cali alone.
- A tower of the neo-Gothic cathedral in Manizales collapsed.
Who's Mentioned
personMarco Rubio“U.S. Secretary of State monitoring the situation”personJorge Eduardo Rojas“Mayor of Manizales”other111“Number of confirmed deaths”organizationU.S. Geological Survey“Reported earthquake data”organizationUnited Nations“Offered aid”personAbelardo de la Espriella“President of Colombia leading the emergency response”personMauricio Salazar“Mayor of Pereira”locationSan Jose Del Palmar“Epicenter of the earthquake”personAlejandro Eder“Mayor of Cali”