A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, August 10, marking the strongest tremor to hit the country this century and the most severe in 47 years. Authorities revised the death toll to 216 people, while approximately 3,770 others were injured. The disaster caused widespread devastation, destroying more than 9,550 homes and damaging hospitals and schools. Major highways were closed, and many affected areas remain without electricity or clean drinking water.
Rescue teams in cities such as Cali and Pereira raced against a critical 72-hour window to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. While some stories of hope emerged, including the rescue of a man from his home and a 32-year-old woman pulled alive from an apartment on Tuesday, efforts grew more desperate as time passed. By Thursday, exhausted crews began scaling back their searches as hopes of finding more survivors faded, with reports of missing persons ranging from hundreds to several thousand.
The disaster serves as the first major challenge for President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was inaugurated last Friday. The president has declared a state of emergency and three days of mourning, promising to establish an emergency fund to rebuild essential infrastructure. As the health system became overwhelmed, tons of aid from regional partners began arriving on Wednesday to support vulnerable communities facing a long road to recovery.