A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, August 10, killing at least 111 people and turning the first day of rescue work into a race through damaged cities and unstable buildings.
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the quake at 12:34:28 UTC, about 5 kilometers south of San José del Palmar, Colombia. The agency listed the depth at about 110 kilometers and did not flag a tsunami threat.
The Associated Press reported that President Abelardo de la Espriella said at least 87 people were injured, around 1,600 buildings were damaged and at least 61 collapsed completely. Those numbers may change as crews reach harder-hit areas and inspect structures that are still standing.
What changed
The strongest confirmed fact is the scale: a major inland quake struck near Chocó and shook a wide stretch of western Colombia, including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales. AP reported that families and rescue workers were searching through rubble in Cali, while officials in Pereira said people were feared trapped in collapsed buildings.
Al Jazeera, citing Colombian and U.S. seismic authorities, reported that Colombia's Geological Service described the quake as the country's highest-magnitude event in the last decade. The outlet also reported airport suspensions in Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura and Pereira after damage checks and disruptions.
The emergency declaration matters because it can speed funding and coordination for rescue, shelter, transport and medical response. In the first 24 hours after a major quake, the practical questions are not only how many buildings fell, but which structures remain unsafe, which roads and airports can move help, and where communications are still failing across the region.
The story is also moving beyond a single epicenter. Damage reports span major western cities and smaller communities, so national coordination will matter as much as the initial local rescue. A cleared airport, an open road or a verified hospital capacity update can change where crews send people and supplies next.
What remains uncertain
The death toll is still provisional. Early counts after earthquakes often rise as search teams enter collapsed buildings, hospitals report updated injury figures and remote communities restore communications. That makes cautious language important: the confirmed toll is already severe, but officials have not completed a full damage assessment.
There is also no single confirmed picture yet of how aftershocks will affect rescue operations. USGS data showed the main shock was relatively deep, but damaged buildings can remain dangerous even after the strongest shaking ends. Local authorities were urging people in affected cities to stay alert while structural inspections continue, and families outside Colombia may see conflicting figures as agencies reconcile local reports.
What to watch next
The next meaningful updates will be revised casualty figures, a clearer list of closed airports and roads, and any international aid requests from Colombia's government. For readers with family in the region, the most useful step is to rely on official local emergency channels and direct consular guidance rather than unverified social posts or recycled video clips.
