Colombia Mourns 11-Year-Old Girl Killed in Earthquake While Celebrating Her Grandfather’s Birthday

On August 10, 2026, a magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck Colombia, devastating the city of Cali. Among the victims of the disaster was 11-year-old Ileana Giraldo Aponte, who had traveled to her grandparents' home in the city to celebrate her grandfather’s birthday. The earthquake struck as she arrived, bringing the building down around her and her grandparents, Carlos Arturo Aponte and Estela Marin, trapping them beneath tons of rubble.

Ileana’s father, Alexander Giraldo, a philosophy professor from Universidad del Valle, stood by the ruins for hours, determined to rescue his daughter. He refused to leave until rescuers pulled her from the debris, repeating the phrase "Mi niña está aquí" ("My girl is here") in an attempt to reassure himself and the rescue workers that she was safe.

After an intense search, rescue crews discovered both Ileana and her grandfather, who had tried to protect her during the collapse. The father, overcome with grief, refused to move until he knew his daughter had perished alongside him. Her mother, Mónica Aponte, a mathematics teacher, and her grandfather passed away as well, leaving the family to mourn the loss of three loved ones in one tragic event.

World Central Kitchen provided aid to the disaster, supplying essential tools such as picks, shovels, helmets, reflective vests, rubble sacks, masks, and gloves to assist in debris removal efforts across Cali and the surrounding regions. The earthquake’s impact extended beyond the immediate tragedy, as Colombia faced a growing list of victims, with 294 people reported dead, 3,935 injured, and 320 still missing across 448 municipalities in 15 departments.