{
  "id": 476257,
  "title": "7.4 earthquake strikes western Colombia, injuries and damage reported",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/7-4-earthquake-strikes-western-colombia-injuries-and-damage-reported",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-10T14:56:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CBS News",
    "slug": "cbs-news",
    "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-earthquake-western-region-evacuations/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A significant earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 hit western Colombia on Monday, resulting in substantial building damage and an unspecified number of casualties. The tremor's origin point was the town of San José del Palmar, home to approximately 4,800 residents in Colombia's Chocó region, situated about 250 miles west of the country's capital, Bogotá. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Colombia's equivalent agency confirmed the quake's details. An aftershock of 5.0 magnitude occurred under an hour after the initial earthquake. The seismic event triggered evacuations extending to Bogotá, the nation's capital. Witnesses claimed they felt the shaking from the capital to Barranquilla's coast and in Ecuador, to the south. Chocó province Governor Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi reported injuries and extensive structural damage in Quibdó, a city of about 130,000 people, stating that they are currently evaluating the extent of the harm. In Cali, a city of 2 million inhabitants, Mayor Alejandro Eder disclosed that residents were trapped in at least 19 buildings that had collapsed. No reports of structural damage were made in Bogotá, Mayor Carlos F. Galán confirmed. Visuals shared by local news outlets depicted homes and small structures collapsing in Pereira, Cali, and Quibdó. In Manizales, a city situated about 190 miles west of Bogotá, one of the neo-Gothic cathedral's towers collapsed onto the nave. President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on social media that he is spearheading the emergency response and plans to visit the affected region. The Colombian quake follows a series of two consecutive powerful quakes in neighboring Venezuela in late June, each measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, leading to extensive destruction and over 5,000 deaths. The region where Monday's earthquake occurred, Colombia's coffee region, was previously hit by a catastrophic earthquake in 1999 that claimed over 1,200 lives. This is an ongoing situation, and updates will be provided as they become available.",
  "summary": "A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday, causing significant damage to buildings and prompting evacuations as far as the capital, Bogotá. The epicenter was in San José del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Chocó region, approximately 250 miles west of Bogotá. Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced that he is leading the emergency response and will travel to the affected areas. This earthquake follows two 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes that struck neighboring Venezuela in late June, causing widespread damage and over 5,000 deaths. The area where Monday's quake hit is familiar with seismic activity, having been devastated by a 1999 earthquake that killed more than 1,200 people.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "MercoPress",
        "title": "Colombia records its strongest earthquake in a decade, geological service says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/colombia-records-its-strongest-earthquake-in-a-decade-geological",
        "published": "2026-08-10T14:29:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Business Recorder",
        "title": "Earthquake on Colombia's Pacific Coast causes injuries, damage",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/earthquake-on-colombias-pacific-coast-causes-injuries-damage",
        "published": "2026-08-10T14:36:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Massive 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocks Colombia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/massive-7-4-magnitude-earthquake-rocks-colombia",
        "published": "2026-08-10T14:41:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "20 buildings collapse, at least 2 dead, in Colombia earthquake",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/20-buildings-collapse-at-least-2-dead-in-colombia-earthquake",
        "published": "2026-08-10T14:48:24.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}