Colombia Earthquake: Death Toll Expected to Rise as People Remain Trapped Under Rubble in Cali and Major Cities

Colombia declared a national emergency after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the country’s western region, killing at least 132 people, injuring 570 others, and leaving a trail of destruction through multiple departments, according to the latest updates from local authorities and disaster management agencies. The disaster, which officials describe as the nation’s strongest earthquake of the century, struck with an epicenter 100 kilometers underground, sending severe tremors across departments and triggering widespread evacuations.

The Colombian geological service and the US Geological Survey recorded the 7.4-magnitude tremor, noting that tremors were also felt in neighboring Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela. According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, authorities received damage reports from nine departments and all 32 departmental capitals. The Colombian Association of Capital Cities confirmed that the death toll reached 132 on Monday, with 570 individuals sustaining injuries as rescue operations pressed forward through the night.

Mr. de la Espriella, who was recently sworn into office, faced an immediate national crisis when the disaster hit just days after taking the oath. Declaring a state of emergency during a national address at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time, the president stated that all government capabilities were deployed to protect lives and deliver aid. “The first priority is rescuing the people trapped under the rubble,” he said during his address, before traveling to Quibdo, the capital of Choco province, and later visiting Cali, western Colombia’s largest city, where he promised rent subsidies for displaced residents and announced the deployment of 1,000 additional security personnel.

Search and Rescue Operations Underway in Cali and Beyond

Major cities, particularly Cali, bore the brunt of the structural devastation, with rescue workers and volunteers using headlamps to comb through collapsed buildings well into the night. Lisa Richards, an Australian resident living in Cali for nearly a decade, recounted the violent shaking to local media. “The wall was bending, it was hard to walk actually because you felt very disorientated. It was really strong,” she said, adding that neighbors screamed as car alarms sounded across the neighborhood. Following the disaster, residents lacking basic services like power and water mobilized via social media, calling for volunteers to bring gloves, face masks, and water to excavation sites.

Authorities in Cali, Armenia, and Manizales enforced local curfews as potential security threats prompted emergency measures. Cali’s mayor deployed police and military personnel to the streets to prevent looting as structural assessments continued. In Manizales, the historic Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica sustained visible damage during the tremor. Across the affected region, at least six Colombian airports suspended operations temporarily while inspectors checked runways and terminal integrity, and residents near the epicenter in San Jose del Palmar were warned to remain alert for ongoing aftershocks.

International Response and Regional Impact

Governments across the region and beyond monitored the unfolding emergency as damage assessments continued. Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade announced it was making urgent inquiries with local authorities to determine if any Australian citizens were impacted by the disaster, offering condolences to those affected. The United States Geological Survey noted that significant casualties and damage were likely given the widespread nature of the geological event, which follows closely on the heels of devastating twin earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela in June.

As recovery efforts continue, the administration faces the immense challenge of coordinating nationwide relief across nine affected departments while managing infrastructure repairs and sheltering thousands of displaced families. Official updates on casualty figures and rescue operations are expected as municipal leaders consolidate damage reports from regional capitals.