Powerful 7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Colombia

On August 10, 2026, a powerful earthquake shook western Colombia. The magnitude 7.4 tremor was the largest recorded in the country this century. It was felt across neighboring Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela.

The earthquake struck at 7:34 am local time. It was centered about 173 miles (280 km) west of Colombia’s capital Bogotá. As of August 12, at least 250 people have died, and more than 2,500 have been reported injured. Thousands of people remain missing as emergency teams continue searching through rubble across multiple regions.

Rural communities near the epicenter were among the hardest hit. In Chocó, a region in western Colombia, entire villages were flattened. To make matters worse, landslides have blocked the roads leading to the area. This has delayed rescue efforts and slowed the delivery of food, medicine, and emergency supplies.

Many cities have also suffered widespread destruction. In Pereira, more than 100 people have been killed and dozens of buildings collapsed. In Cali, Colombia’s third-largest city, at least 95 people have died. Fifty-six buildings have collapsed, including part of a major hospital that trapped patients and staff.

The earthquake in Colombia comes less than two months after two powerful earthquakes struck neighboring Venezuela on June 24, 2026. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes occurred just 39 seconds apart. They caused severe damage in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and the coastal state of La Guaira. As of August 12, more than 6,300 people have died, and about 61,000 remain hospitalized. Tens of thousands are still missing.

In both countries, the full impact of the earthquakes is still unfolding. Rescue and recovery efforts continue as officials work to assess the damage and help people who have lost their homes.

Were the earthquakes connected?

Although Colombia and Venezuela share a border, their earthquakes were very different. Colombia’s earthquake occurred around 60 miles (97 km) underground where two of Earth’s tectonic plates are constantly pushing against each other.

In contrast, Venezuela’s twin earthquakes were shallow. They occurred just 6 miles (9.6 km) beneath the surface where Earth’s tectonic plates slid horizontally past one another. Because Venezuela’s quakes were so close to the surface, they produced much stronger ground shaking. This contributed to the significantly greater destruction.

Credit: NPR.com, Aljazeera.com, Wikipedia.org, Cnbc.com