7.4-Magnitude Earthquake Ravages Western Colombia

Overview

• A magnitude-7.4 quake struck western Colombia on Monday, Aug. 10, with an epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, and was widely felt across cities from Cali to Medellín.
• Search-and-rescue teams continued operations into the third day and pulled survivors from rubble after long entrapments, including one woman rescued after nearly 38 hours.
• Officials have revised casualty counts as searches proceed, reporting 233 confirmed deaths, hundreds injured and roughly 3,000 people listed as missing while authorities clear and inspect damaged buildings.
• Cali has been one of the hardest-hit cities with dozens of buildings damaged or collapsed and local curfews and emergency shelters in place to protect displaced families.
• The government declared three days of national mourning and a national disaster to reallocate funds and seek recovery financing, and international partners including the U.S. pledged immediate humanitarian aid to supply shelters, food and medical support.