Bogotá (TDI): The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia has risen to at least 164, with more than 880 people injured, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors amid widespread destruction.
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday, August 10, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in the western department of Chocó. The tremor was felt strongly across the country’s coffee-growing region, including Pereira, Cali and Manizales.
More than 3,200 people are reported missing, while thousands have been displaced from their homes. Emergency responders, soldiers and local volunteers have been deployed across affected areas, searching through collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure.
Pereira was among the worst-affected cities, with entire residential blocks reportedly reduced to rubble. Several multi-storey buildings collapsed, while hospitals, schools, roads and other critical infrastructure were severely damaged.
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At one hospital, several upper floors, including areas used for pediatric care, collapsed, trapping some patients. Hospital director Irne Torres Castro told local media that around 600 other patients had to be treated outside as debris covered the surrounding area.
Regional airports were also damaged, further complicating rescue and relief operations. The earthquake also caused major damage to the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Manizales, with footage showing parts of the historic structure shaking and collapsing.
Dating back to the 1920s, the cathedral is regarded as Colombia’s tallest cathedral and one of the tallest neo-Gothic churches in the Americas. Videos circulating online also showed airport structures violently shaking, with sections of ceilings collapsing as people sought shelter.
The Colombian government has declared a state of emergency and mobilised the military, police and specialised search-and-rescue teams to assist with recovery operations. International assistance has also been offered as authorities assess the full scale of the destruction.
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The disaster has confronted the newly sworn-in administration of President Abelardo De La Espriella with its first major national crisis, just days after he took office. Authorities have warned that the casualty figures could rise as rescue teams reach areas that remain inaccessible and continue searching collapsed structures.
