At least 111 dead in the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia

Monday, August 10th 2026 - 19:51 UTC

Pereira and its metropolitan area account for most of the dead

At least 111 people were killed and 87 injured by the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck western and central Colombia on Monday, according to the official toll given by President Abelardo de la Espriella as of 12:30 local time. Authorities warned the figure is preliminary and that rescue work is continuing.

The quake struck at 07:34, with its epicenter near the municipality of San José del Palmar, in Chocó department, at a depth of more than 80 kilometers, according to the Colombian Geological Service. It is the strongest recorded in the country in the past decade.

Pereira and its metropolitan area account for most of the dead. Departmental tolls released by governors and mayors correspond to different cutoff times and do not match one another: Chocó governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi reported 12 dead and 84 injured in that department, while the mayor of Manizales confirmed two deaths. Fatalities were also reported in Valle del Cauca and Antioquia.