Overview
- The quake struck on Monday at 07:34 local time, registered magnitude 7.4 at a depth of about 103 km, and had its epicenter near San José del Palmar in Chocó, the Geological Service of Colombia said.
- By Wednesday officials and media tallies put the death toll at about 250 with more than 480 people reported injured, and authorities warned totals could rise as crews recover more victims.
- Pereira and Cali suffered the heaviest losses and damage, with some local reports citing roughly 101 deaths in Pereira and 95 in Cali as teams clear collapsed buildings.
- Rescue brigades are using cranes, excavators and manual crews to reach people trapped under rubble while many indigenous and rural communities in Chocó remain cut off without power or services.
- The government declared a state of emergency, the new president has visited affected areas, and officials — including the coffee federation — are assessing farm and infrastructure damage as budget revisions are prepared to fund recovery.