Colombia’s newly inaugurated President, Abelardo de la Espriella, has declared a national state of disaster after a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the western region of the country on Monday morning. The epicenter was recorded near San José del Palmar in the coastal Chocó province at a depth of roughly 103km to 107km.
Casualties & Impact Breakdown
- Death Toll: At least 111 deaths have been officially confirmed, with hundreds injured and emergency responders searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures.
- Risaralda & Pereira: The city of Pereira and surrounding areas were among the hardest hit, reporting over 37 to 47 casualties, including structural collapses at Matecaña International Airport.
- Valle del Cauca & Cali: Over 25 buildings collapsed in Cali, with major infrastructure damage reported across the region.
- Chocó & Manizales: Significant damage was recorded across Chocó, while in Manizales, historical structures—including a spire at the Cathedral Basilica—suffered severe collapses.
- Aviation & Transport: Flights were suspended as damage was reported across more than 10 regional airports, including Pereira, Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago, and Buenaventura.
Government & Emergency Response
- Special Powers Delegated: Declaring a state of national emergency grants the central government exceptional powers to reallocate budgets, deploy rescue operations, and mobilize national military capabilities.
- First Major Crisis: The disaster comes just days after President De La Espriella took office on August 7, 2026, marking the new administration’s immediate shift into emergency crisis management.
- International Support: Neighboring countries, including Ecuador, have offered specialized search-and-rescue teams to assist with ongoing extraction efforts.
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