A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in Chocó province, western Colombia, on August 10 at 7:34 a.m. local time, marking the strongest quake recorded in Colombia this century [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].

The earthquake caused widespread devastation across multiple provinces, including Chocó, Risaralda, Caldas, Valle del Cauca, and struck major cities such as Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Medellin, Quibdó, and Armenia [1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Buildings including homes, hospitals, and schools were severely damaged, with over 5,000 homes damaged and at least 165 buildings reported collapsed [5]. The quake forced the temporary closure of five to six airports in western Colombia due to structural damage [1, 7, 4, 5, 6].

The official death toll has risen from an initial 20 reported in early hours to at least 224, as rescue operations continue and more bodies are recovered [2, 5, 8]. Injuries number over 668 nationwide, with some local authorities reporting more than 1,300 injured in the hardest hit cities [5]. Rescue teams composed of volunteers, soldiers, and firefighters continue searching for survivors trapped under rubble [9, 3, 5, 8].

Newly inaugurated President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national emergency and disaster state, pledging government resources to aid affected communities. In an afternoon address on August 10, he said, “You are not alone, the nation is here and acting,” and vowed to mobilize “every capability and resource to protect lives and assist affected areas” [3, 5].

The tremor was felt not only throughout Colombia, including the capital Bogotá, but also in neighboring countries Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama [1, 3, 4, 5, 10]. International aid offers arrived from the US, EU, Israel, Mexico, Ecuador, France, and China, with satellite assistance activated to support relief efforts [5, 6]. Chinese President Xi Jinping sent condolences and expressed confidence the Colombian people would recover under President de la Espriella’s leadership [6]. The Chinese Embassy in Colombia reported no Chinese nationals harmed so far and issued safety advisories [11].

The government maintains curfews and ongoing rescue missions in affected areas. Further updates on casualties and the scale of damage are expected as search efforts advance.