At least 111 people have been killed after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, damaging or collapsing around 1,600 buildings and triggering a major search-and-rescue operation across the region.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency after the quake hit on Monday, saying the government’s immediate priority was to save people trapped beneath debris and deliver aid to affected communities.
Preliminary figures from authorities put the death toll at 111, with many others injured and thousands reported missing as emergency teams continue to reach damaged towns and remote communities. Families have also used citizen-run websites to share information about missing relatives.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake’s epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, a community in western Colombia roughly 250 miles west of Bogotá. The quake, which struck at an intermediate depth of about 66 miles, was felt across Colombia and in neighboring Ecuador and Panama.
Severe damage was reported in western cities including Cali, Pereira, Quibdó and Manizales, where residents, first responders and volunteers worked through unstable debris amid concerns over aftershocks.
In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, search teams and civilians formed human chains to move concrete and rubble from collapsed buildings. Local officials said residents remained trapped in multiple structures, increasing pressure on rescue crews to locate survivors quickly.
The scale of the building damage highlights the operational challenges facing fire, rescue and emergency management agencies, including unsafe structures, limited access routes, aftershock risks and the need to manage large numbers of missing-person reports during the response phase.
Colombia’s Geological Service described the event as the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in the 21st century. Authorities also reported a series of aftershocks in the hours after the main quake, including a magnitude 5.0 tremor.
The Pacific region around Chocó lies on the Ring of Fire, the highly active seismic belt that encircles the Pacific Ocean. The region’s geography is expected to complicate the response, with some communities accessible only by boat, through jungle routes or by air, while communications outages continue to slow damage assessments.
Eyewitnesses in Cali described buildings collapsing and clouds of dust rising over the city. Residents and emergency personnel continued searching for survivors as night fell.
“My entire house shook. I’ve never lived through such a powerful earthquake,” Cali resident Jorge Moncayo said. “We’re thanking God we’re alive.”
Officials reported deaths across several departments, with some of the heaviest casualties in Risaralda, Valle del Cauca and Chocó. Local authorities said around 80% of El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 people near the epicenter, had been damaged.
Air travel was disrupted as authorities assessed damage at airports serving Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura and Pereira. The disruption could affect the movement of emergency personnel, medical supplies and humanitarian aid.
President de la Espriella said engineers, rescue workers and search dogs had been deployed as part of the national response, alongside military and police support. The government also announced rental subsidies for people whose homes were damaged while repairs are carried out.
The U.S. State Department said it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and other aid, while governments across Latin America also offered support.
The disaster comes weeks after powerful earthquakes devastated neighboring Venezuela, adding urgency to regional emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts.
In Pereira, footage published by local media showed parts of an airport ceiling falling as travelers sheltered. In Manizales, part of the city’s neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed, prompting officials to urge residents to remain outside because of the risk of aftershocks.
In Cali, authorities said residents were trapped in several collapsed buildings. Emergency teams continued to search damaged structures while officials warned people to avoid unstable buildings and follow local safety guidance.
The impact on workplaces is also emerging. In Pereira, a small work-uniform factory was damaged when an interior wall collapsed, although the owner and 12 workers were able to evacuate in time.
“You are not alone. The state is present and taking action,” President de la Espriella said as he pledged federal support for rescue and recovery operations.
