Chocó province hit by 7.4 quake, injuries and building damage reported
A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, causing building collapses, injuries, and widespread shaking that was felt across the country and in Venezuela.
A powerful earthquake struck Colombia’s Pacific coast on Monday, 10 August 2026, causing structural damage, injuries, and widespread panic. Colombia’s geological service placed the magnitude at 7.4, striking at a depth of 96 km (60 miles) at 07:34. The United States Geological Survey recorded the epicentre 5 km east of the village of San José del Palmar, while other initial estimates placed the depth at 79 km or 110 km.
The tremor sent shockwaves far beyond the epicentre. In the capital, Bogotá, journalists broadcasting live on Caracol Radio described furniture shaking in the studio. Families eating breakfast fled their homes, and buildings across the city were evacuated. Bogota’s mayor, Carlos Galan, stated on X that there was no major damage in the capital. Evacuations were also reported in the coastal city of Medellín, and tremors reached as far as Venezuela's border state of Táchira and the central-west city of Barquisimeto, according to Reuters witnesses.
Media additions
Immediate impact in Chocó province and regional cities
Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi, the governor of Chocó province, confirmed that people were injured and buildings sustained severe damage in the provincial capital of Quibdó, despite the epicentre lying outside the city. She wrote on X:
"We have just experienced a severe seismic event in the department of Chocó. We are concerned about aftershocks. Although the epicentre was in San José del Palmar, in the capital Quibdó there are injuries and severe damage to buildings. We are already conducting the damage assessment to issue the first official report."
Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi, Governor of Chocó province, via X
In the neighbouring Risaralda province, Governor Juan Diego Patino told Blu Radio that serious damage was visible in the capital, Pereira, noting that the images were truly shocking with injured people and collapsed building facades.
Damage extended into the country's coffee region. Footage shared by the newspaper El Tiempo captured a collapsed building in Manizales, where people shouted toward potential survivors trapped in the rubble. Social media video showed the toppled spire of a church in the same city. Colombia’s aviation authority confirmed structural damage at regional airports in Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
Regional seismic context and official response
The United States Tsunami warning system confirmed that no tsunami warning had been issued following the tremor. Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management announced it was in contact with local authorities to verify potential damage.
Monday's disaster unfolded less than two months after twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, destroying buildings in Caracas. Those earlier quakes resulted in more than 6,100 deaths.
The USGS noted that earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater are relatively rare in Colombia. Since 1950, only two previous earthquakes of magnitude 7 or larger occurred within 250 km of this event, and those were situated near the coast. The country's frequent seismic activity stems from its location near the boundary of several tectonic plates.
What to watch next
Officials continue to conduct assessments across the affected regions. The full extent of the damages and the total number of injuries remain unknown as disaster response teams verify reports and monitor for aftershocks.
