COLOMBIA– Following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10, leaving 240 dead and around 2,500 injured so far, Colombian President Abelardo de la Esprielladeclared three days of national mourning and decreed a state of “national disaster and economic and social emergency,” with the aim of adopting measures to address the damage caused by the earthquake, considered one of the strongest recorded in the country during the last decade.
According to the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences , the bodies of 240 people who died as a result of the earthquake have been received so far , while some 2,500 people have been injured , according to EFE.
Given the magnitude of the tragedy, the president ordered that for the next three days the flags on government buildings remain as a sign of mourning, as a tribute to the victims and an expression of solidarity with their families.
“The national government, on behalf of the Colombian people, expresses its deep sorrow for the deaths of the people who lost their lives due to the seismic activity that occurred on August 10, 2026 in the national territory, and stands in solidarity with the mourning of the families and friends of these people,” states a decree issued by the Presidency.
De la Espriella also expressed, via social media, the nation's deep sorrow at the loss of hundreds of lives. The president noted that the tragedy has brought grief not only to the families and loved ones of the victims, but also to the entire Colombian people.
Areas affected by the earthquake
The natural phenomenon caused serious damage to infrastructure in cities such as Cali, Pereira, and Manizales, according to the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC). In addition to the fatalities and injuries, numerous buildings were damaged or collapsed as a result of the powerful earthquake.
The entity explained that the earthquake occurred around 07:34 a.m. local time (12:34 GMT), and had its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó department.
Initially, the earthquake was estimated to have reached a magnitude of 6.7; however, a later bulletin from the agency placed the magnitude at 7.4.
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