A 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked western Colombia on Monday, August 11th, resulting in at least 132 deaths and 572 injuries, according to Colombia's president, Abelardo de la Espriella. The earthquake's epicenter was located 5 kilometers east of San José del Palmar, as reported by the U.S. Geological Survey.
The country's new president declared a national disaster, with destruction reported across multiple cities. At least 61 buildings have collapsed and over 1,600 homes have been damaged or destroyed. In the city of Cali alone, at least 20 buildings collapsed, trapping residents inside. Officials confirmed that rescue efforts were ongoing in a building where at least 15 people remained trapped.
President de la Espriella announced via social media that he was traveling to Bogota to focus on managing the emergency and has convened a unified command post to coordinate the response, including in the Coffee-Growers' Axis region.
The U.S. State Department stated on X that the Trump administration is committing $15.5 million to aid Colombia's earthquake response. The funds will support emergency shelter, food, protection, and earthquake damage assessments.
Local authorities emphasized the need to ensure safety in affected cities and to provide adequate space and conditions for rescue workers to continue their efforts.
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