A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, 2026, causing significant damage to buildings and prompting evacuations in the capital, Bogota. The epicenter was located in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of approximately 4,800 residents in the Choco region, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Bogota, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's geological agency. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 66 miles (107 kilometers).
Choco Governor Nubia Córdoba reported on social media that there were injuries and serious damage to buildings in the regional capital of Quibdó, which has a population of around 130,000. Local media footage showed homes and small buildings collapsing in Pereira, Cali, and Quibdó. In Manizales, about 190 miles (300 kilometers) west of Bogota, a tower of the neo-Gothic cathedral collapsed onto the nave.
Cali's Mayor Alejandro Eder stated that residents were trapped in at least 19 collapsed buildings. While small earthquakes, referred to as "temblores," are common in central and western Colombia, those exceeding 6.0 magnitude are rare. A notable earthquake in 1999 near Armenia, with a magnitude of 6.2, resulted in over 1,100 fatalities.
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced via a post on X that he would oversee recovery efforts and establish an emergency center in San Jose del Palmar. The earthquake follows two significant earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude that struck Venezuela in late June, which resulted in the destruction of hundreds of buildings and over 5,000 deaths.