Colombia earthquake death toll at 47

The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday rose to 47, local authorities said, as rescue workers searched through the rubble of dozens of collapsed buildings.

Residents and emergency personnel dig through the debris of a partially collapsed building after an earthquake, in Pereira, Colombia August 10, 2026.

REUTERS/Stringer

The magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest to hit Colombia in the past decade, was centered about 100 km underground near San Jose del Palmar in Choco department, roughly 280 km west of the capital, Bogota. It struck at 7:34 a.m. local time, according to the national geological service.

At least 18 people died in the city of Pereira and two in Manizales, authorities said. A further 27 deaths were reported in Valle del Cauca department, home to Cali, Colombia's third-largest city. The toll had previously stood at at least 20.

Dozens of buildings collapsed in cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo, Cali and Manizales, the Associated Press reported. Residents and emergency crews were searching through debris for survivors, while authorities warned of possible aftershocks.

The geological service said two aftershocks, measuring magnitude 2.8 and 4.8, had been recorded so far.

Tremors were also felt in Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela, according to media reports. Venezuela was struck by a double earthquake in June that killed at least 6,000 people.

(jh)

Source: PAP