A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, affecting major cities including Cali, Quibdó, and Pereira. The tremor, which measured 7.4 in magnitude, occurred on Monday and resulted in at least 111 deaths according to statements from the country’s president, Abelardo de la Espriella. The disaster left roughly 1,600 structures either damaged or completely destroyed across the affected region.
Search and rescue operations were underway through the night and into Tuesday as authorities, military personnel, and volunteers worked to locate survivors trapped beneath rubble and debris. The situation was further complicated by the challenge of accounting for missing persons, with over 2,700 individuals reported missing by Monday evening. Families took to citizen-run websites to post information about loved ones, hoping for information about their whereabouts.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, within Chocó, one of Colombia’s most economically disadvantaged regions. The province, which is frequently affected by armed conflict and difficult to access due to its geography, suffered severe damage. Local authorities reported that approximately 80 percent of El Cairo, a town of around 7,000 residents near the epicenter, sustained damage. Many structures in rural areas, constructed from traditional materials such as wood and adobe, proved particularly vulnerable to the tremor’s force.
President de la Espriella, who took office on Friday, traveled to Quibdó, the regional capital, on Monday evening to assess conditions and coordinate the response. He announced the deployment of military and police resources, including engineers, rescue teams, and search dogs. The government also announced rental subsidies for those whose homes were damaged and pledged that the region would no longer be forgotten. The United States State Department committed $15.5 million in emergency assistance, while governments throughout Latin America offered support.
The disaster comes amid regional vulnerability, as two consecutive earthquakes had struck neighboring Venezuela in late June, causing over 6,300 deaths and destroying hundreds of buildings.
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