New President Faces Brutal Test Just Three Days After Taking Office: Colombia Hit by 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake, at Least 132 Dead, 480 Injured

At least 132 people have died in Colombia's largest earthquake in years, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency. The death toll is expected to rise as fears grow that more people remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Colombia's geological agency reported the 7.4-magnitude quake struck on Monday (August 10) at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT), with an epicenter in the Chocó department and a depth of 103 kilometers. The tremor was felt across a vast area, spanning hundreds of miles in western Colombia.

On August 10, 2026, rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings following a powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

Many of the fatalities were concentrated in Pereira, a city in Colombia’s coffee-growing region, with surrounding cities and the Valle del Cauca region also severely impacted. The earthquake's epicenter was near the village of San José del Palmar in Chocó, where Mayor León Fabio Marín Moncada said, miraculously, no deaths or injuries occurred despite damaged access roads.

The Colombian Association of Capital Cities reported over 480 people injured in a statement on Monday. Pereira, located about 55 kilometers from the epicenter, suffered some of the worst destruction. Verified footage reviewed by the BBC shows at least one building collapsed at the city’s main Plaza Bolívar, with open spaces once filled with people now scattered with debris and dust.

Local authorities reported at least 40 deaths in the metropolitan area of Pereira, with 65 buildings collapsed—15 of which are believed to still have people trapped inside.

On August 10, 2026, rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings following a powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

Parts of the city have been placed under curfew, effective until 05:00 local time on Tuesday (August 11). Cali, located about 160 kilometers south of Pereira and roughly 200 kilometers from the epicenter, saw 32 buildings collapse.

Dan Cutler, 29, from London, who has been traveling through Colombia with his partner for the past two months, is currently in Cali. Awakened by the quake, he told the BBC: "I've never experienced anything like this."

"We ran outside in our pajamas. The hotel didn’t suffer major structural damage, but walls had surface cracks, and paint and plaster were peeling off."

Fatalities have also been reported in Manizales, Quibdó, Medellín, and in the Chocó and Valle del Cauca regions. At least two deaths were confirmed in Manizales.

On August 10, 2026, rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings following a powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

Angélica Ávila told BBC World Service she was staying at a hotel in Manizales when the quake hit. She said walls cracked and "everyone was screaming… I saw dust rising from nearby buildings, bricks falling from walls."

Luis Felipe Molina, a journalist and meteorologist from Manizales, was at home about 150 kilometers from the epicenter during the quake. He explained that the city enforces "very strict seismic building codes" due to past earthquakes, which helped his home withstand the shock. He told BBC News Mundo: "I have 450 books, and in the end only a few remained on the shelves. You could hear glass breaking and people screaming."

"It was a terrifying and horrifying experience."

On August 10, 2026, part of the dome of Manizales Cathedral collapsed following the powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

Colombia’s aviation authority reported damage to airports in several regions, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura. In the capital Bogotá, trees and traffic lights swayed violently, and there were reports of cracked buildings, though no major infrastructure damage has been reported.

The shaking was felt as far away as neighboring Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama. Less than two months before this quake, northern Venezuela was devastated by a double earthquake, killing over 6,300 people.

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella has declared a national disaster state, granting the government special emergency powers, including the ability to reallocate budgets. The new president was inaugurated just last Friday (August 7), now immediately facing a crisis that could define his political legacy.

On August 10, 2026, President Espriella, just three days into office, held a press conference in Bogotá following the powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

In addition to casualties, he confirmed over 1,500 homes were damaged. As the scale of the disaster becomes clearer, leaders from multiple countries have expressed support. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. is "closely monitoring" the situation and "prepared to provide assistance." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU is using its Copernicus satellite system to support rescue efforts.

On August 10, 2026, rescue workers searched for survivors in the rubble of collapsed buildings following a powerful earthquake in Colombia. (AP)

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and offered personnel and equipment to assist in rescue operations. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately 1.5 million people felt shaking close to magnitude 7. The agency noted that deep earthquakes like Monday’s are typically less dangerous than shallow ruptures but can release energy in ways that damage buildings, with fewer aftershocks but potentially stronger ones.