Colombia Earthquake: 164 Dead as Rescue Race Intensifies

New Delhi, August 11, 2026 Western Colombia entered a crucial second day of rescue operations on Tuesday after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastated parts of the country’s coffee-growing region. At least 164 people have been confirmed dead, while emergency teams continued searching collapsed buildings and destroyed homes for survivors. The scale of the destruction has raised fears that the death toll could increase as rescuers reach more affected areas. Cities including Cali, Pereira and Manizales suffered extensive damage, with multi-storey structures collapsing and a tower of a historic cathedral in Manizales also damaged. Cali, home to around 2.2 million people, reported at least 85 deaths, while many buildings were either destroyed or left dangerously unstable, forcing residents onto the streets. A hospital suffered the collapse of several upper floors, including sections used for paediatric care. Some patients were trapped, while around 600 others had to be treated outside amid the debris, hospital director Irne Torres Castro told Caracol television. Rescue teams, supported by police, soldiers and volunteers, worked through the night using excavators and manual labour to clear the rubble. In Cali, volunteer Carmen Yasmin Garcia, 43, said seven people had been rescued from a collapsed building, while four others and a dog remained trapped. “A moment ago there was scratching but now we can’t hear anything, we still have faith that the dog is alive and we can get these people out,” Garcia said. “We need people with sticks and spades, the more people lending a hand the better.” Pereira, the capital of Risaralda state, recorded 66 deaths, with entire residential sections reduced to piles of concrete and twisted steel. Video from the city’s airport, verified by Reuters, showed the building shaking violently during the earthquake, with large sections of its ceiling collapsing as people sought safety. Choco, the rural province closest to the epicentre, reported another 13 deaths. Meanwhile, President Abelardo De La Espriella, who assumed office only days before the earthquake, said 35 people had died in Cali and 188 were missing. He announced that 1,000 security personnel would be deployed there following reports of looting, while Cali and Pereira imposed curfews. “Our intention is to cooperate in any way necessary. Here, there are no distinctions or ideological divisions when it comes to defending our people or showing solidarity,” De La Espriella told journalists on Monday evening. The disaster has revived memories of the devastating 1999 earthquake that struck Colombia’s coffee-growing region and killed more than 1,000 people. It has also been compared with catastrophic earthquakes in neighbouring Venezuela in June, which claimed more than 6,300 lives. As rescue workers continue digging through unstable structures and clearing debris, the focus remains on locating missing people, assisting those injured and providing support to communities affected by the destruction. The coming hours are expected to be critical as emergency teams work to determine the full human and structural cost of the earthquake.