An intense 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook Colombia on August 10, 2026, causing tremors in Bogotá, the country’s capital, and several other cities, as recorded by international seismological agencies.
The epicenter of the tremor was located in San José del Palmar, in western Colombia, according to information from the United States Geological Agency (USGS). The affected area is approximately 230 kilometers from Bogotá and approximately 150 kilometers from Medellín and Cali. There is a divergence in earthquake depth estimates between agencies: the USGS indicates 107 kilometers, while the European seismological agency ESMC indicates 95 kilometers.
The governor of Chocó, the hardest hit state, reported “significant destruction” and confirmed the existence of injuries, without specifying an exact number of victims.
More on this story: Strong tremor in Colombia leaves 132 dead and mobilizes search for missing people
Images posted on social media show the impact of the earthquake in several Colombian locations, showing the extent of the damage.
In the city of Manizales, one of the most affected municipalities, the dome of the Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral suffered considerable damage.
The capital Bogotá also felt the earthquake strongly, with earthquake sirens being activated in different parts of the city.
The tremor spread to neighboring countries such as Ecuador and Venezuela — the latter, which had already been impacted by a double earthquake in June, once again had its population on alert. To date, no impacts have been reported in Brazil.
Learn more: Why do giant earthquakes hit neighboring countries, but rarely Brazil?
The United States’ tsunami warning system ruled out any risk of a tsunami from this seismic event.
ESMC, which was the first to record the phenomenon, initially reported a magnitude of 7.1, which was later revised to 6.8 and then adjusted to 7.4. The Colombian geological service also confirmed the magnitude at 7.4.