At least 111 people were killed and 87 injured when a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, with families still trapped under collapsed buildings as rescue efforts stretched into the night. President Abelardo de la Espriella declared an emergency to speed recovery funding and promised residents, "We aren't going to leave people alone. They are in our hearts and we are going to tend to people with our full determination."
The quake—reported at magnitude 7.4 by the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia's geological service, though the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre measured it at 6.8—was centered in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region roughly 250 miles west of Bogota. It ravaged cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo, Cali and Manizales. Colombia's interior minister said more than 20 municipalities had been hit.
The Human Toll
Local officials confirmed at least 40 deaths in the Risaralda region, where Pereira is located, and 27 in the Valle del Cauca region, home to Cali. At least three children were among those killed in Valle del Cauca, the governor said. Authorities also confirmed nine deaths in Choco, two in Caldas and a 73-year-old victim in Antioquia.
Pereira's mayor, Mauricio Salazar, told a local radio station that at least 18 people had died and many more remained trapped under "a massive quantity of collapsed buildings." In Cali, Mayor Alejandro Eder said residents were trapped in at least 19 collapsed structures. Jorge Moncayo, a 64-year-old taxi driver in Cali, described plumes of dust shooting up across the city as buildings fell. "My entire house shook. I've never lived through such a powerful earthquake," he said. "We're thanking God we're alive."
In Manizales, one of the towers of the neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed and fell on the nave. Jorge Eduardo Rojas, the city's mayor, asked residents to stay outside in case of aftershocks. Authorities in rural Choco, the epicenter, reported injured people and damaged buildings in the capital but provided few details.
Infrastructure Failures and Disruption
Colombia's Geological Service called it "the highest magnitude earthquake registered in Colombia in the last decade" and said it was followed by two aftershocks measuring 2.8 and 4.8. Flights were suspended at airports in Manizales, Quibdo, Armenia, Cartago, Buenaventura and Pereira, stranding travelers and complicating relief efforts.
The disaster left many Colombians unnerved after back-to-back quakes devastated neighboring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing more than 5,000 people. Desperate families in Venezuela continued searching ruins for loved ones' bodies even as the Colombian quake unfolded.
International Response and Market Impact
Messages of support came from leaders across the Americas, including Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador and the United States. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X, "The Trump administration is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia." A number of countries offered aid. The U.N. deputy spokesman, Farhan Haq, said, "we stand ready to help as needed."
Reuters reported that Colombian stocks slipped and Latin American assets were muted in the aftermath. The economic disruption comes as families wait for news of trapped relatives and communities assess the full scale of destruction.
Why This Matters:
The earthquake exposes the vulnerability of working-class communities in western Colombia, where building codes and enforcement often lag behind wealthier urban centers. With families trapped under rubble and rescue operations hampered by damaged infrastructure, the disaster underscores the need for stronger public investment in seismic preparedness and resilient construction standards. The concentration of deaths in regions like Risaralda and Valle del Cauca—including at least three children—reflects how natural disasters disproportionately harm those with the fewest resources to protect themselves. As climate change increases the frequency of extreme events and Colombia faces ongoing seismic risk, the government's emergency response and commitment to reconstruction will test whether public institutions can deliver the protection and support that vulnerable communities deserve.