Magnitude 7.4 earthquake kills at least 132 in Colombia
A powerful quake struck western Colombia on Aug 10, collapsing buildings across Cali and Pereira and triggering a national disaster response.
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Summary, timeline and people extracted by Claude from 10 items across 3 sources · 7h ago. Quotes are verbatim.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, 2026, killing at least 132 people and injuring 570 across the nation, with the highest casualties in the cities of Pereira (60 deaths) and Cali (85 deaths). The epicenter was located in San José del Palmar, about 150 miles west of Bogotá, and collapsed buildings including the pediatric and neonatal sections of a hospital in Cali. The Colombian government declared a national disaster, deployed soldiers and rescue teams, and imposed a curfew while recovery operations continue.
- A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing at least 132 people with hundreds injured; death toll likely to rise.
- Pereira and Cali were hardest hit, with 60 and 85 deaths respectively; approximately 40 buildings collapsed in Cali alone.
- A hospital in Cali had its pediatric and neonatal sections collapse with patients trapped; a neo-Gothic cathedral sustained partial damage.
- The Colombian government declared a national disaster, deployed troops for rescue operations, and imposed a curfew while 188 people remain missing.
How it unfolded
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The National Catholic Register reported that a neo-Gothic cathedral in the region was partially damaged by the earthquake, adding to the list of significant cultural and religious infrastructure losses.
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CNN published live updates tracking the developing death toll and rescue operations, including geolocated video showing buildings collapsing in Pereira's Bolivar Plaza and people running for cover as structures fell.
“At least 132 people died and 570 injured as a result of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck in western Colombia”
Colombian Association of Capital Cities · Google News ↗ -
The Colombian government declared a national disaster and deployed 600 troops to assist rescue operations, with another 400–500 expected overnight and an additional 232 requested. A curfew was imposed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. local time.
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At least 60 people died in Pereira and 85 in Cali, with 570 total injured and 188 people still missing in Cali alone. The Colombian Association of Capital Cities reported at least 132 deaths nationwide.
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Multiple buildings collapsed across western Colombia, including approximately 40 in Cali alone. The pediatric and neonatal sections of a hospital in Cali collapsed with patients trapped in the rubble.
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A powerful earthquake with magnitude 7.4 struck western Colombia, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, about 150 miles west of Bogotá. The tremor was felt strongly in the nation's capital with alarms sounding and people evacuating to streets.
What people are saying verbatim
“At least 132 people died and 570 injured as a result of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck in western Colombia”
Colombian Association of Capital Cities, Government disaster agency · CNN ↗ · Aug 9
“At least 85 people have died in the Colombian city of Cali following the earthquake”
Alejandro Eder, Mayor of Cali · CNN ↗ · Aug 9
“188 people were still missing in the city, while 37 had been rescued”
Alejandro Eder, Mayor of Cali · CNN ↗ · Aug 9
“Some 40 buildings have collapsed in the cultural hub of about 2 million people in Colombia's southwest, known for salsa dancing”
CNN, News report · CNN ↗ · Aug 9
“Emergency responders are racing to dig people out of the rubble. Among the collapsed structures were the pediatric and neonatal sections of a hospital in Cali.”
CNN, News report · CNN ↗ · Aug 9