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It comes weeks after deadly quakes devastated parts of Venezuela.<\/p>\n
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One of the Strongest Earthquakes in Recent Decades<\/p>\n
The quake hit at 7:34 a.m. local time, with the epicenter located near San Jos\u00e9 del Palmar in the Choc\u00f3 region\u2014an area of roughly 4,800 residents surrounded by mountainous terrain. Colombia\u2019s geological service said it was a 7.4 magnitude earthquake at a depth of roughly 96 km, making it one of the strongest earthquakes to strike the country in recent decades.<\/p>\n
Choc\u00f3 Governor Nubia Carolina C\u00f3rdoba\u2011Curi described injuries and significant damage to buildings in Quibd\u00f3, a city of about 130,000 people. She warned that aftershocks were already being detected and urged residents to remain cautious as emergency teams conducted structural assessments.<\/p>\n
In neighboring Risaralda, Governor Juan Diego Pati\u00f1o described “serious damage to some buildings” in Pereira, calling the situation “very severe.”<\/p>\n
The shaking was felt hundreds of miles away in Bogot\u00e1, where Mayor Carlos Gal\u00e1n reported no major damage, as well as in Venezuela and Ecuador<\/a>, where residents also described intense tremors.<\/p>\n The U.S. tsunami warning system confirmed there was no tsunami threat.<\/p>\n Photos, Video Show Initial Destruction From Colombia\u2019s Biggest Earthquake<\/p>\n Images shared by local media show homes and small buildings collapsing in Pereira, Cali, and Quibd\u00f3, with debris spilling into streets and residents helping injured neighbors. In Manizales, part of a neo\u2011Gothic cathedral tower fell onto the nave, scattering rubble across the plaza and prompting emergency evacuations. Footage from Cali, a city of 2 million, shows rescue crews responding to at least 19 collapsed buildings where people were reportedly trapped.<\/p>\n Videos from Choc\u00f3 depict chaotic scenes: cracked roads, shattered windows, and residents gathering in open areas as aftershocks rattled the region. Emergency teams are still working to determine how many people were injured, but officials have confirmed multiple injuries across Choc\u00f3, Risaralda, and Valle del Cauca. Colombia\u2019s disaster agency said it is coordinating with local authorities to verify structural damage and reach remote communities that may have been cut off by landslides.<\/p>\n In an update to X on Monday night, Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said immediate financial and humanitarian aid to more than 1,400 families affected by the disaster in Choc\u00f3 has been allocated. Injured people are being transferred to Medell\u00edn for medical care, while temporary housing assistance will be provided to families whose homes were damaged.<\/p>\n In Cali, authorities are focused on helping affected families, searching for missing people, treating the injured and maintaining security, de la Espriella said. “Cali and Valle del Cauca are not alone. The State is present and will continue to act with all its capacity to protect and support our people. \u00a1Stand Firm for the Homeland!” he concluded in his post.<\/p>\n Colombia\u2019s aviation regulator temporarily halted flights at multiple airports across the region, including those serving Pereira, Manizales, Quibd\u00f3, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura, as engineers assessed the facilities for possible structural damage, Reuters reports.<\/p>\n Local, US Leaders React<\/p>\n Governors across western Colombia urged residents to remain outdoors while engineers inspect damaged structures. C\u00f3rdoba\u2011Curi said her government is preparing an official report and warned that the mountainous terrain around San Jos\u00e9 del Palmar could complicate rescue operations. Pati\u00f1o said Pereira\u2019s emergency services were overwhelmed by calls and that additional support may be required as assessments continue.<\/p>\n Abelardo de la Espriella announced he would personally supervise recovery efforts and establish an emergency center in San Jos\u00e9 del Palmar. His statement signals the government\u2019s concern about the quake\u2019s impact on rural communities, where infrastructure is often limited and damage assessments take longer.<\/p>\n U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on X, “The Trump Administration is closely monitoring the large earthquake that struck Colombia and stands ready to support the people of Colombia and President @ABDELAESPRIELLA\u2019s Administration.”<\/p>\n Rubio also urged American citizens in Colombia to enroll at http:\/\/STEP.State.gov.<\/p>\n Buildings Destroyed, Residents Injured<\/p>\n Across affected cities, reports describe collapsed homes, damaged commercial buildings, and compromised historical structures. In Manizales, the cathedral tower collapse became one of the most striking symbols of the quake\u2019s force. In Cali, widespread structural failures left dozens trapped, prompting large\u2011scale rescue operations.<\/p>\n Officials have not yet released a confirmed death toll, but they acknowledge numerous injuries across multiple provinces. Emergency responders say the number could rise as crews reach rural areas and sift through debris. The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said it is working with local governments to verify reports of collapsed structures and potential casualties.<\/p>\n Other Earthquakes in the Region<\/p>\n Residents in T\u00e1chira and Barquisimeto reported feeling Colombia\u2019s quake, adding to regional anxiety following June\u2019s deadly events.<\/p>\n Colombia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates\u2014including the Malpelo, Panama, Caribbean, North Andes, and South American plates\u2014converge. <\/p>\n This makes the country one of the most seismically active in the hemisphere. Historical records show major quakes throughout Colombia\u2019s history, including the 1999 Armenia earthquake that killed more than 1,100 people.<\/p>\n Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Gabe Whisnant<\/a>, Tony Phillips<\/a> and Anna Commander<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Rescue](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26224050626808.jpg\"\/)
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