Deadly magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes western Colombia

Overview

Updated Yesterday

At 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in western Colombia's Chocó department. It was the strongest quake Colombia has recorded this century, and more than 100 people were dead within hours.

The rupture occurred about 110 km underground, inside the Nazca plate sliding beneath South America. That depth spread shaking across Colombia and into Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. Three hospitals collapsed, an estimated 5,000 homes were damaged, and seven airports closed — a first crisis for a president sworn in days earlier.

Why it matters

Colombia's strongest quake this century shook millions across four countries; the rebuilding effort will test its new president and disaster systems for years.

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Key Indicators

7.4

Moment magnitude

USGS-reviewed magnitude; Colombia's Geological Service recorded the same. The quake is the strongest in Colombia this century.

169

Reported deaths

Per Colombia's Association of Capital Cities; the government's toll stood at 111 by early afternoon and may rise as rubble is cleared.

5,000

Homes damaged or destroyed

President De La Espriella's estimate; 61 buildings collapsed outright.

110 km

Hypocentral depth

Intermediate-depth rupture inside the subducting Nazca plate; depth spread shaking widely but limited total collapses.

$15.5M

US emergency aid pledged

State Department commitment for shelter, food, and protection, announced the day of the quake.

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People Involved

Abelardo de la Espriella

President of Colombia

Managing the national emergency response

Julio Fierro Morales

Director general, Colombian Geological Service (SGC)

Confirmed the quake as Colombia's strongest of the 21st century

Organizations Involved

United States Geological Survey

Federal scientific agency

Independently located and sized the earthquake; issued highest-level impact alert

The US government agency that monitors earthquakes worldwide.

Colombian Geological Service (SGC)

Government geological agency

Recorded the quake at 7.4 magnitude, 96 km depth

Colombia's official seismological and geological monitoring agency.

Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System

International Alert System

Issued a Red alert for humanitarian impact

A United Nations and European Commission system that estimates disaster impact for humanitarian responders.

Colombian Maritime Authority (DIMAR)

Government maritime authority

Determined there was no tsunami threat

Colombia's maritime authority, which operates the National Tsunami Warning Centre.

Timeline

7 events Latest: 4 days ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

August 2026
USGS feed lists quake with Red alert
Latest Status

USGS Significant Earthquakes feed lists the quake with a Red PAGER alert.
4 days ago
Magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes western Colombia
Earthquake

Strongest quake this century hits near San José del Palmar; felt in Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela.
August 10th, 2026 • 12:34 UTC (07:34 local)
Aftershocks follow within hours
Earthquake

A magnitude 4.8 aftershock strikes 44 minutes later; a 3.8 follows at 10:01 local.
August 10th, 2026 • 13:18 UTC (08:18 local)
Colombia declares national emergency
Government response

President De La Espriella reports 111 dead and prioritizes rescuing people trapped under rubble.
August 10th, 2026 • 18:00 UTC (13:00 local)
USGS and GDACS issue Red alerts
Alert

USGS PAGER and GDACS issue Red alerts warning of significant casualties and widespread damage.
August 10th, 2026
Seven airports suspend operations
Infrastructure

Flights halt in seven cities pending structural assessments of airport facilities.
August 10th, 2026
United States pledges $15.5 million in aid
International response

State Department commits emergency funds for shelter, food, and protection for survivors.
August 10th, 2026

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 1985

Mexico City earthquake (1985)

A magnitude 8.0 subduction earthquake off Mexico's Pacific coast on September 19, 1985, devastated Mexico City, more than 350 km from the epicenter. Soft lakebed sediments amplified the shaking, collapsing hundreds of buildings and killing roughly 10,000 people.

Then

Mexico overhauled its building code and created a national disaster fund, FONDEN, to finance reconstruction.

Now

The event became the standard case study in how distant earthquakes can devastate cities on soft soils.

Why this matters now

The 2026 quake's shaking reached Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela, echoing how the 1985 event spread energy far from its source. It shows that a deep or distant quake can still do serious damage.

January 1999

Armenia, Colombia earthquake (1999)

On January 25, 1999, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck about 17 km beneath the coffee-region city of Armenia. Roughly 1,190 people died, thousands were injured, and about half the city's homes were damaged or destroyed.

Then

A multi-year reconstruction program rebuilt housing and infrastructure across the Quindío department.

Now

The disaster pushed Colombia to strengthen building codes and reform its disaster response system.

Why this matters now

Armenia was among the worst-hit cities again in 2026. A shallower 6.2 killed roughly 1,190 people there in 1999; the deeper 7.4 has killed 169 so far — depth and building quality shape destruction as much as magnitude.

January 2010

Haiti earthquake (2010)

A magnitude 7.0 earthquake ruptured just 13 km beneath Port-au-Prince on January 12, 2010. An estimated 200,000 or more people died as unreinforced masonry buildings collapsed across the capital.

Then

More than a million people were displaced; reconstruction took years.

Now

Haiti's recovery was complicated by a cholera epidemic and weak institutions, a cautionary example of post-quake failure.

Why this matters now

The 2010 quake was slightly weaker than Colombia's 2026 event but killed far more people. The difference is depth: shallow ruptures concentrate energy at the surface, while the 110 km-deep Colombian quake spread it across a vast area.