A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia has resulted in at least 26 deaths, including three children, with widespread damage and at least 20 buildings collapsed.
Foreign news agencies reported that a strong 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, 10 Aug 2026 GMT+7, causing widespread damage. At least 3 deaths have been confirmed, including three children crushed by falling walls.
Dilian Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca province, reported that three children died in the municipality of Calima El Darién after a wall collapsed. She also said one person died in the city of Zarzal.
The mayor of Buenaventura, also in the same province, reported at least one death in his city and multiple bridges have collapsed.
Earlier, Colombian officials reported three deaths in Manizales, Caldas province, and 18 in Pereira, Risaralda province. Adding the five most recent victims, the death toll now stands at 26.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Éder, mayor of Cali, revealed that at least 20 buildings in his city have collapsed, with people trapped inside. He urged residents to remain calm and requested rescue teams from the mayors of Bogotá and Medellín.
“If you feel unsafe or see large cracks, please evacuate the building,” he added.
Colombia’s Geological Survey confirmed this earthquake as the strongest the country has faced in a decade. So far, two aftershocks measuring 2.8 and 4.8 have occurred, with the latter widely felt.
Colombia’s civil aviation authority said at least seven airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura have suspended services due to earthquake damage.
Additionally, operations at Popayán Airport have been halted because volcanic ash from Puracé Volcano has fallen in the area.
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Source:bbc