A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia at 7:30 a.m., killing at least 132 people, injuring more than 500 and causing more than 60 buildings to collapse.
The earthquake was also felt in neighboring countries, including Venezuela and Ecuador. It was the strongest earthquake to hit Colombia since 1979, and authorities fear the death toll could rise as rescue crews continue searching for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The earthquake lasted approximately four minutes, causing extensive damage across several areas of the country.
Colombia has been placed under a state of emergency, while martial law and curfews have been imposed in numerous areas to facilitate rescue operations and allow crews to locate and free people trapped beneath the rubble.
Greek residents describe the quake
Greek residents living in Colombia spoke to Greek broadcaster MEGA about their experience of the earthquake.
One Greek resident said the quake was the strongest he had experienced during his 13 years living in Colombia.
“At 7:30, we felt a very, very strong shaking, the strongest we have unfortunately experienced here in Colombia in the last 13 years that I have lived here,” he said.
He said there had been few reports of major damage or casualties in the Bogotá area, but that the situation was more serious in Cali, Pereira and other cities, as well as in Quibdó, near the earthquake’s epicenter in western Colombia along the Pacific coast.
Emergency personnel work at the site of a damaged building after an earthquake, in Cali, Colombia August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Christian EscobarMora TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
According to the resident, at least 20 to 25 buildings in Cali had been damaged or collapsed, based on the latest information available locally.
Describing the first moments of the earthquake, he said he and others had been asleep when the shaking began.
“We woke up in a hurry and all went downstairs. A lot of sirens went off throughout the city,” he said.
He described the experience as frightening, although he said there was no panic.
“It was truly terrifying. It was very strong,” he said, adding that he hoped this had been the main earthquake and that no stronger tremor would follow.
“We are well, thank God — or at least those of us Greeks who are here in Bogotá,” he added.
More than 15 aftershocks reported
Another Greek resident of Colombia, Mr. Christopoulos, said residents remained on alert after more than 15 aftershocks.
Rescuers work at the site of a collapsed building following an earthquake, in Cali, Colombia, August 10, 2026. REUTERS/Sergio Acero
“Airports have been closed. We are all on alert because there have been more than 15 aftershocks so far. The ground continues to shake,” he said.
Christopoulos also described a personal observation before the earthquake, saying he felt that the temperature had suddenly risen immediately before the major tremor.
Epicenter lies along the Ring of Fire
According to geological institutes in the United States and Europe, an extended seismic sequence is underway.
The earthquake’s epicenter was in the Chocó region, an area located along the so-called “Ring of Fire,” one of the most seismically active zones on Earth.
The zone stretches around the Pacific Ocean and is associated with frequent earthquakes across the region, extending from Japan to numerous parts of Latin America.
