Colombia Honors 331 Victims of August 10 Earthquake

Hundreds gathered in Bogotá to honor the 331 people killed in Colombia’s magnitude 7.4 earthquake on Aug. 10. The disaster injured 4,449 people, affected 406,963 and damaged or destroyed more than 221,000 homes.

Colombians gather in Bogotá’s Bolívar Square to honor the 331 people killed in the Aug. 10 earthquake. Photo: EFE

August 29, 2026 Hour: 2:17 am

Hundreds gathered in Bogotá to remember those killed in the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that affected 16 departments and 494 municipalities.

Hundreds of Colombians gathered in Bogotá on Friday to honor the 331 people killed in the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck central and southwestern parts of the country on Aug. 10, as the disaster continues to affect communities across 16 departments.

RELATED: Colombian Opposition Rejects De la Espriella Deportation Policy

The three-hour ceremony at Bolívar Square brought together mourners for a candlelight vigil featuring prayers and Christian hymns. President Abelardo de la Espriella and First Lady Ana Lucía Pineda attended the event.

The earthquake also injured 4,449 people and left at least 406,963 others affected, according to the latest authorities’ figures. It damaged 187,839 homes and destroyed another 33,395.

Pineda thanked international donors for providing at least 640 metric tons of humanitarian aid for people affected by the disaster. In Bogotá, national donors have collected about 2,640 metric tons.

“Thanks to every donor, volunteer, company, organization and every person who extended a helping hand and made it possible to reach the affected areas with gestures of solidarity, humanitarian aid and psychological support,” Pineda said.

Text Reads: 📌 Colombia received more than 80 tons of humanitarian aid from international partners to assist those affected by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Chocó.
🔴 Turkey, Brazil, Sweden, Ecuador, Argentina, and Japan are among the donors.
💬 How can international cooperation strengthen disaster response? Share your thoughts.

The earthquake’s epicenter was in the municipality of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó. Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Cauca and Nariño were among the areas particularly affected.

The disaster has tested the country’s response capacity, while thousands of families in affected areas continue to await assistance and the reconstruction of their homes.

First Public Event Since Inauguration

Friday’s gathering was the first public event involving De la Espriella since his Aug. 7 inauguration in Cali. Christian and Catholic religious leaders addressed those attending the ceremony.

De la Espriella had been expected to speak to the crowd, but rain forced the event to end earlier than planned, preventing him from addressing those gathered in the square.

IN THIS ARTICLE