Major quake hits western Colombia

What's happened

A powerful earthquake has struck western Colombia near San José del Palmar, Chocó. The USGS has measured magnitude 7.4 while Colombia's geological service initially reported 6.6. The quake has caused building collapses across Pereira, Cali, Quibdó and Manizales, killed dozens, injured many and forced large-scale evacuations and search operations.

What's behind the headline?

What happened and why it matters

• A strong earthquake has struck near San José del Palmar in Chocó province. The USGS has reported magnitude 7.4 at roughly 66–107km depth; Colombia's service initially recorded 6.6. The depth and size mean shaking has travelled hundreds of kilometres, producing damage in several western cities.

Immediate consequences

• Emergency teams are searching collapsed buildings in Pereira, Cali, Quibdó and Manizales. Local officials have reported multiple deaths and widespread structural damage; airports and services in western Colombia have suspended operations.

What will follow

• Aftershocks are likely and will continue to stress damaged structures, complicating rescue and recovery. Damaged transport and airports will slow aid delivery and assessment teams, which will increase pressure on national and regional emergency services.

Longer-term outlook

• The quake will force a full national damage assessment and will likely expose weaknesses in building stock across the coffee-region and Pacific coast cities. Reconstruction will require sustained funding and rapid engineering surveys to prevent further collapses during aftershocks.

Quick take

• The combination of a high magnitude and intermediate-to-great depth means strong ground motion over a wide area. Rescue efforts will be the priority now; recovery and rebuilding will follow and will be costly and prolonged.

How we got here

Colombia lies on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where seismic faults produce occasional large quakes. Quakes above magnitude 6 are rare in Colombia; the country has suffered deadly temblores before, including a 1999 quake that killed more than 1,100 people.

Our analysis

The reporting shows consistent core facts and variation in early details. The USGS and Colombia's geological service differ on magnitude: the USGS measured 7.4 (Bloomberg: "the US Geological Survey said it measured the earthquake’s magnitude at 7.4"), while Colombia initially put it at 6.6 (Al Jazeera: "Colombia had initially put its magnitude at 6.6"). The New York Times has noted that seismologists may revise the magnitude as they review data: "As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquake’s reported magnitude" (New York Times Business). Local impact reporting varies by city. The Guardian quotes Cali mayor Alejandro Eder saying at least 20 buildings collapsed there and that rescue teams are working: "At least 20 buildings collapsed... residents were trapped" (Tom Ambrose, The Guardian). Al Jazeera and France 24 highlight damage in Quibdó and Pereira and include governor Nubia Córdoba-Curi’s warning about aftershocks: "We have just experienced a major earthquake... We are concerned about aftershocks" (Al Jazeera). The Times of Israel and other outlets report death tolls across regions — for example listing confirmed deaths in Risaralda, Valle del Cauca and Chocó — but totals differ as counts were still being confirmed. Eyewitness detail appears across AFP-sourced pieces quoted by The New Arab and France 24: people ran into streets in Bogota, power and phone outages occurred in parts of the west, and airports suspended operations. The New York Times and USGS cautioned that additional data could prompt updates to magnitude and shake maps, which explains the early differences between national and international agencies. Together, the sources give a coherent picture: a major quake has struck western Colombia, it has caused significant urban damage and casualties, and authorities are prioritising search, rescue and damage assessment amid a risk of aftershocks.

Go deeper

• How many people have been confirmed dead or injured across all affected regions?
• Which highways and airports are closed and how will aid reach remote Chocó communities?
• What building types suffered the worst damage and will inspections be ordered for schools and hospitals?

More on these topics

• Colombia - Country in South America

  Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a transcontinental country largely in the north of South America, with territories in North America.

• Venezuela - Country in South America

  Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many small islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea.

• Cali - City in Colombia

  Santiago de Cali, or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,227,642 residents according to the 2018 census.

• Manizales - City in Colombia

  Manizales is a city in central Colombia. It is the capital of the Department of Caldas, and lies near the Nevado del Ruiz volcano.

• United States Geological Survey - Agency

  The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it.

• Alejandro Éder - Mayor of Cali

  Álvaro Alejandro Eder Garcés is a Colombian politician and specialist in international security policies. He was elected Mayor of Cali in October 2023 and assumed office on 1 January 2024.

• Pereira - City in Colombia and capital of the Risaralda department

  Pereira (Spanish pronunciation: [peˈɾejɾa]) is the capital city of the Colombian department of Risaralda. It is located in the foothills of the Andes in a coffee-producing area of Colombia officially known as the "Coffee Axis". Pereira, alongside the rest of the Coffee Axis, form part of UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia". It is the most populated city in the Coffee Axis. Pereira is also part of the Central West Metropolitan Area, which has 735.769 residents and is composed of Pereira and the neighboring cities of Dosquebradas and La Virginia. It is considered the most important city in the "Coffee Axis" from a geopolitical and economic standpoint. As the capital of the department of Risaralda, Pereira houses the headquarters of the Government of Risaralda, the Departmental Assembly, the Departmental Court, the Metropolitan Area Authority and the Attorney General. It also serves as the headquarters for numerous public companies and institutions of the Colombian state. Being in the center of the Golden Triangle (which consists of the cities of Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali), Pereira has become especially important in the fields of trade and commerce.

• Chocó Department - Department of Colombia

  Chocó Department (Spanish pronunciation: [tʃoˈko], Spanish: Departamento del Chocó) is a department of Western Colombia known for its large Afro-Colombian population. It is in the west of the country, and is the only Colombian department to have coas

• Bogotá - Capital city of Colombia

  Bogotá (, also UK: , US: , Spanish pronunciation: [boɣoˈta] ) is the capital and largest city of Colombia. The city is administered as the Capital District, as well as the capital of, though not politically part of, the surrounding department of Cundinamarca. Bogotá is a territorial entity of the first order, with the same administrative status as the departments of Colombia. It is the main political, economic, administrative, industrial, cultural, aeronautical, technological, scientific, medical, educational and airport center of the country and northern South America. Bogotá was founded as the capital of the New Kingdom of Granada on 6 August 1538 by Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada after a harsh expedition into the Andes conquering the Muisca, the indigenous inhabitants of the Altiplano. Santafé (its name after 1540) became the seat of the government of the Spanish Royal Audiencia of the New Kingdom of Granada (created in 1550), and then after 1717 it was the capital of the Viceroyalty of New Granada. After the Battle of Boyacá on 7 August 1819, Bogotá became the capital of the independent nation of Gran Colombia. It was Simón Bolívar who rebaptized the city with the...