4 minWorld
Colombia searches for survivors after magnitude 7.4 quake kills more than 200
At least 224 people are dead and more than 3,000 are reported missing after a major earthquake hit western Colombia. A national emergency is in effect.
Colombian authorities and rescue teams continued searching collapsed buildings Tuesday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake killed at least 224 people in the western part of the country. More than 3,000 people were listed as missing, and hundreds were injured as officials tried to establish the full scale of damage.
The earthquake struck at approximately 7:34 a.m. local time Monday, Aug. 10. The epicentral area was near San José del Palmar in Chocó, a western department where difficult terrain can complicate access. Major damage was also reported in Cali and Pereira.
The death toll increased substantially from the first government and media reports. Early counts cited 132 fatalities, but by Aug. 11 El País reported at least 224. Authorities have emphasized rescue work because people may still be trapped in collapsed structures, and the total is expected to remain provisional while searches continue.
The Associated Press reported that more than 3,000 people were missing and roughly 1,600 buildings had been damaged or collapsed. Missing-person lists in disasters can include people who are later located at hospitals, shelters or with relatives, but the extent of structural damage means a significant number of addresses still require physical searches.
President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and said rescuing people under rubble was the government’s immediate priority. Military personnel have joined firefighters, emergency specialists, volunteers and residents in search efforts. Authorities are also managing security, medical support and access to damaged areas.
The response is taking place under continued seismic risk. El País, citing Colombia’s geological service, reported 47 aftershocks by the evening update, with the strongest at magnitude 4.8. Aftershocks can threaten weakened buildings and force rescue crews to pause or re-evaluate work sites.
Infrastructure damage has widened the emergency beyond collapsed housing. Earlier reports described damage to regional airports and transportation links, while hospitals have had to handle a surge of patients. Engineers will need to inspect public buildings and homes before residents can safely return to some neighborhoods.
International aid has begun to reach Colombia. The United States announced approximately $15.5 million in assistance, the AP reported. Such funding can support emergency relief, medical needs and temporary shelter while Colombian authorities assess the cost of rebuilding.
The earthquake also presents an immediate institutional test for de la Espriella, who assumed the presidency only days before the disaster. His administration must coordinate national agencies with city and departmental governments while keeping rescue access open and responding to public safety concerns in heavily damaged neighborhoods.
The most urgent decisions, however, are being made at individual collapse sites. Crews are prioritizing locations where people were known to be inside and where signs suggest survivable spaces may remain. As long as those searches continue, the confirmed death toll and the list of missing people are likely to change.
The next national update will depend on two parallel efforts: reaching communities that remain difficult to assess and matching missing-person reports against hospital, shelter and rescue records. Until that process advances, Colombia remains in the life-saving phase of the disaster.
