A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia at approximately 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, 2026, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in Chocó Department.
The earthquake caused widespread strong shaking across western Colombia, with significant impacts reported in Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales, and surrounding communities. Buildings, homes, hospitals, schools, roads, utilities, and other infrastructure have sustained significant damage.
As of August 12, at least 265 people have been reported killed, 3,500 have been injured, and 25K residents have been displaced or left without safe housing. Search and rescue operations remain active as emergency crews and volunteers continue working through collapsed structures and debris.
More than 100 aftershocks have been reported, adding additional concern for damaged structures and affected communities.
Event Type: Earthquake
Event Date: August 10, 2026
Status: Active Response
Primary Impact Area: Western Colombia
Epicenter: Near San José del Palmar, Chocó
Magnitude: 7.4
Depth: Approximately 107 km
Significant impacts have been reported across portions of:
Major population centers reporting impacts include:
Remote and Indigenous communities in Chocó are of particular concern because damaged roads, communication outages, terrain, and limited infrastructure are complicating assessments and humanitarian access.
Colombia has declared a national emergency/disaster, mobilizing national and local emergency resources. (Multiple Serve Source Parter disaster response organzations have mobilized and are responding - information will continue to build on map and list below.)
Search and rescue teams, firefighters, emergency personnel, military resources, medical teams, volunteers, and humanitarian organizations are responding throughout the affected region.
International humanitarian support is also mobilizing, and the United Nations is supporting the national response.
Current response priorities include:
Immediate and emerging needs include:
Needs are expected to evolve as search and rescue operations continue and damage assessments expand into rural and difficult-to-access communities.
Serve Source is actively monitoring the Colombia earthquake response and connecting with organizations and leaders working in or supporting impacted communities.
Our focus is to strengthen communication between responding organizations, increase visibility of available resources and unmet needs, and help organizations connect and collaborate as the response develops.
Organizations responding to this event are encouraged to submit their response information through Serve Source so other organizations and community leaders can see where resources are being deployed and identify opportunities for collaboration.
The impact area displayed on the Serve Source map represents an approximate operational impact envelope based on reported damage, population exposure, and areas experiencing significant shaking.
This boundary is intended for response coordination and situational awareness and does not represent an official USGS ShakeMap boundary.
Information will continue to be updated as additional assessments and verified reports become available.
","url":"https://app.servesource.org/DisasterDetail?disaster=western-colombia-earthquake-august-2026","last_updated":"2026-08-22T02:58:29.968Z"},"response_count":4,"truncated":false,"responses":[{"id":"6a7cfeda1089daf2d3dea670","organization":{"id":"697f0545268366ca55cbabda","name":"Foursquare Disaster Relief","url":"https://app.servesource.org/OrganizationDetail?id=697f0545268366ca55cbabda","org_type":"faith_based_nonprofit","primary_category":null,"services":[],"website":"https://foursquaredisasterrelief.org/","logo":"https://base44.app/api/apps/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/files/public/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/306af9105_FoursquareDisasterRelief-2025.jpg","description":"Foursquare Disaster Relief is a nonprofit organization that sends much-needed supplies and volunteers to our partner churches located in disaster areas all around the globe. \n \n\n We serve as agents of peace in an increasingly chaotic world. The Bible clearly tells us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and minister to the least of these. Foursquare Disaster Relief brings the whole gospel to the whole world by meeting the physical and spiritual needs of people desperately in need of hope.","region":null,"faith_based":true,"verified_tier":"verified_faith_based_partner","drrn_member":true},"scope":"disaster","services":["Assessment Teams"],"start_date":"2026-08-12","end_date":"2026-08-25","narrative":"Foursquare Disaster Relief is coordinating with their national office and dispatching an Advanced Team to Pereira to walk alongside the church-led efforts and mobilize a response.","website_link":"https://foursquaredisasterrelief.org/","location":{"name":null,"address":"Western Colombia","city":"AMCO, Area Metropolitana Centro Occidente","county":null,"state":"Risaralda","coordinates":"4.813591207399424, -75.68740885821755"},"has_volunteer_opportunity":false,"volunteer_tags":[],"last_updated":"2026-08-20T16:13:55.696000"},{"id":"6a7bebf24184cb02b498f511","organization":{"id":"697f0545268366ca55cbabfe","name":"Operation Blessing","url":"https://app.servesource.org/OrganizationDetail?id=697f0545268366ca55cbabfe","org_type":"faith_based_nonprofit","primary_category":null,"services":[],"website":"https://www.ob.org/disaster-relief/","logo":"https://base44.app/api/apps/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/files/public/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/3ceb690b7_OperationBlessing-2025.jpg","description":"The mission of Operation Blessing (OB) is to bring help and hope to a hurting world, empowering people in need through compassionate, Christ-centered relief and development programs.","region":null,"faith_based":true,"verified_tier":"verified_faith_based_partner","drrn_member":true},"scope":"disaster","services":["Assessment Teams","Resource Provider","Food Distribution/Meals"],"start_date":"2026-08-12","end_date":"2026-08-26","narrative":"Operation Blessing’s Global Disaster Response Team is responding now, focusing on two of the most pressing needs for survivors: food and clean water. ((Location Estimated - will update))","website_link":"https://ob.org/colombia26/?mot=071120&utm_campaign=ob-disaster-colombia-earthquake&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_term=fy27&utm_content=organic","location":{"name":null,"address":"Colombia","city":"AMCO, Area Metropolitana Centro Occidente","county":null,"state":"Risaralda","coordinates":"4.808077, -75.679777"},"has_volunteer_opportunity":true,"volunteer_tags":["Restricted – Some Volunteer roles may require prior training/authorization","Will train New Volunteers in the field","Community Volunteers Accepted"],"last_updated":"2026-08-20T16:13:55.696000"},{"id":"6a7be9be09b5ca06a96f0df7","organization":{"id":"697bda32f98f8196736e3d0c","name":"Mercy Chefs","url":"https://app.servesource.org/OrganizationDetail?id=697bda32f98f8196736e3d0c","org_type":"faith_based_nonprofit","primary_category":null,"services":[],"website":"https://mercychefs.com/","logo":"https://base44.app/api/apps/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/files/public/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/78e2a5eec_MercyChefs-2025.jpg","description":null,"region":null,"faith_based":true,"verified_tier":"verified_faith_based_partner","drrn_member":true},"scope":"disaster","services":["Food Distribution/Meals","Assessment Teams"],"start_date":"2026-08-11","end_date":"2026-08-26","narrative":"With roads and other critical infrastructure damaged, families are unable to access the food and resources they desperately need. Mercy Chefs is responding to this crisis with hot, chef-prepared meals to survivors and first responders. Your support will help provide strength, hope, and nourishment to those facing unimaginable loss and uncertainty. ((Location Estimated - will update))","website_link":"https://give.mercychefs.com/campaign/831970/donate?c_src=IN-5-46245&c_src2=Text-CA3-0","location":{"name":null,"address":"Western Colombia","city":"AMCO, Area Metropolitana Centro Occidente","county":null,"state":"Risaralda","coordinates":"4.806885, -75.691067"},"has_volunteer_opportunity":true,"volunteer_tags":["Restricted – Some Volunteer roles may require prior training/authorization","Open to Organization-Trained Volunteers"],"last_updated":"2026-08-20T16:13:55.696000"},{"id":"6a7a4da012ea488507007b72","organization":{"id":"697c0b4c1b79c50601aba6a8","name":"Convoy of Hope","url":"https://app.servesource.org/OrganizationDetail?id=697c0b4c1b79c50601aba6a8","org_type":"faith_based_nonprofit","primary_category":null,"services":[],"website":"https://convoyofhope.org/initiatives/disaster-relief/","logo":"https://base44.app/api/apps/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/files/public/695c704f24f26045c4d0f1c0/bda139728_ConvoyofHope-2025.jpg","description":"Convoy of Hope is a humanitarian, faith-based organization on a mission to feed the hungry and bring help and hope to communities that need it most.","region":null,"faith_based":true,"verified_tier":"verified_faith_based_partner","drrn_member":true},"scope":"disaster","services":["Resource Provider"],"start_date":"2026-08-10","end_date":"2026-08-23","narrative":"Convoy of Hope is responding to the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that has shocked communities in western Colombia.\n\nBuildings and homes collapsed. Families are rushing to evacuate the unpredictable circumstances of their neighborhoods. People are injured.\n\nWhen even the ground is unsteady, signs of hope and support matter. Convoy of Hope is responding to this disaster, delivering tangible resources and care to families facing stress and destruction. ((Location Estimated - will update))","website_link":"https://www.instagram.com/p/Db3XFVsiJmL/","location":{"name":null,"address":"Western Colombia","city":"Perimetro Urbano Pereira","county":null,"state":"Risaralda","coordinates":"4.798944, -75.739682"},"has_volunteer_opportunity":false,"volunteer_tags":[],"last_updated":"2026-08-20T16:13:55.696000"}]}