Following a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, August 10, the local administration in Manizales has implemented an overnight curfew and a temporary traffic restriction. The measures aim to secure the city and aid emergency response operations after widespread structural damage and reported casualties.
In Manizales, the local government responded to the emergency by establishing a mandatory overnight curfew running from 10:00 p.m. on Monday until 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday, August 11. Local officials described the restriction as a preventive and protective measure for the citizenry designed to maintain public safety while emergency teams complete verification and rescue efforts.
Curfew Implementation and Early Casualties in Manizales
The earthquake left severe impacts throughout Manizales, with the El Cable neighborhood emerging as one of the hardest-hit areas.
The curfew in Manizales aligns with similar restrictions enacted in Pereira and Cali. In Pereira, Mayor Mauricio Salazar addressed the public regarding the emergency restrictions put in place to protect local commerce and ensure unobstructed routes for emergency responders.
Until tomorrow at 5:00 in the morning the circulation of cars is prohibited because we need the rescue organizations to be able to travel without difficulties. Motorcycles can move. From today Monday, at 6:00 p.m., we decreed a curfew until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow to protect the city’s commerce. The curfew will be in the center, in the Universidad Commune and the Cuba Subcenter. Mauricio Salazar, Mayor of Pereira, via Revista Semana
Temporary Traffic Restrictions and Two-Digit Plate Rules
To further manage post-earthquake congestion, Mayor Jorge Eduardo Rojas of Manizales confirmed that the city will enforce a temporary pico y placa traffic restriction for 15 days, beginning Friday, August 14, and running through August 31. The measure applies to vehicles across the entire city using a two-digit rotation per day.
Municipal authorities stated that the regulation aims to clear major traffic corridors and reduce the heavy vehicular volume crowding the capital of Caldas following the seismic emergency. The municipal administration scheduled the release of the official decree containing the exact numerical plate rotation for each daily schedule.
Regional Divergence: Cali Suspends Traffic Restrictions
While Manizales instituted new traffic limits to clear roads, regional authorities in Cali took the opposite approach to handle emergency response transit. The Secretaría de Movilidad de Cali suspended the pico y placa measure entirely on Monday, August 10, to assist mobility following the tremor, which the Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) ultimately measured at 7.4 after an initial estimate of 6.7.
Duvier Ossa, operational manager for the Cali Mobility Secretariat’s Management Center, reported that traffic agents deployed to key city entrances and major access points, including Portada al Mar, Montebello, Menga, the airport sector, Paso del Comercio, Juanchito, Simón Bolívar Avenue, Cañasgordas Avenue, and La Hulera. Although initial reports showed no major anomalies at those specific entry points, the city logged roughly 120 traffic accidents, with 56 recorded as positive incidents, alongside four inspections related to traffic fatalities.
Infrastructure Inspections and Ongoing Verifications
Across affected regions, technical teams continue inspecting public and residential infrastructure. In Cali, emergency responders managed structural collapses, trapped individuals, fallen trees, and a localized gas leak. Meanwhile, transport authorities in various municipalities have maintained sobriety checkpoints and specialized patrols as evaluation efforts persist.
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