Global Intelligence Summary

At 07:34 local time (12:34 UTC) on 10 August, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake was detected 5 kilometres east of San José del Palmar, Chocó Department, Colombia, at a depth of 107 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake was felt as far as Venezuela and Ecuador. Latest figures place at least 265 people killed and 3,494 injured, with 496 still missing. The earthquake destroyed over 9,215 homes and damaged another 45,457.

The worst damage occurred in Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Quibdó. In Cali and Pereira, entire neighbourhoods were effectively flattened with rubble, and rescuers used cranes, search dogs, and heavy machinery to clear debris and search for survivors. In Chocó Department, the epicentre, rescue and clean-up efforts have been hampered by the remoteness of many communities in the conflict-ridden region, with many only accessible by boat, air, or through the jungle.

Residents evacuated buildings in northern Bogotá, over 200 kilometres east of the epicentre, while buildings were also evacuated in Barranquilla. However, the mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, reported that no structural damage was reported aside from some cracks in buildings.

Recently inaugurated President de la Espriella has declared a state of emergency and promised rent subsidies for families who lost their homes.

Solace Global Assessment: 

The earthquake was the strongest to hit Colombia in over a century. Colombia regularly experiences earthquakes because of its position at the convergence of several tectonic systems, with significant historical seismicity recorded across the Andean and Pacific regions. The Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC) records an average of approximately 2,500 earthquakes per month, equivalent to around 30,000 per year. However, the overwhelming majority are low-magnitude events that are not felt by the population and are detected only instrumentally. Significant damaging earthquakes are considerably less frequent.

Notable historical earthquakes include: the 1999 Armenia earthquake, a magnitude 6.1 event that killed more than 1,000 people, injured thousands, and caused extensive damage across Colombia’s Coffee Axis; the magnitude 5.5 1983 Popayán earthquake that killed several hundred people and severely damaged large parts of the city; and the magnitude 7.9-8.0 1979 Tumaco earthquake which triggered a tsunami, caused widespread building collapse and killed approximately 600 people.

This earthquake will almost certainly act as a test for the new President Abelardo de la Espriella, who was only recently inaugurated on 7 August. The government’s handling of emergency response, infrastructure disruption, humanitarian assistance, and reconstruction will likely shape initial perceptions of the administration’s competence. This is particularly important given de la Espriella’s narrow and politically contentious election victory, meaning any perceived shortcomings in the response could quickly become a focus for opposition criticism.

Over 100 aftershocks have been recorded. Further aftershocks are highly likely over the coming days and weeks, though they will likely be smaller than the initial quake. These could trigger further landslides, damage already weakened buildings and infrastructure, and disrupt transport and emergency operations, particularly in the most heavily affected areas.