Colombia Quake Enters Second Day: 164 Dead as 600 Patients Are Treated in the Street

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published August 11, 2026

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In Cali, one of the hardest-hit cities, several upper floors of a hospital collapsed, including areas used for pediatric care. Some patients were trapped, while around 600 others had to receive medical treatment in the street outside the damaged facility.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia's western coffee-growing region early Monday, bringing down multi-storey buildings and causing widespread damage in Cali, Pereira and Manizales, where part of a historic cathedral tower was also damaged.

Emergency workers, police, soldiers and volunteers worked through the night, using excavators and sometimes their bare hands to clear debris and reach people trapped beneath collapsed structures.

At least 85 deaths were reported in Cali, 66 in Pereira and 13 in Chocó, the rural province closest to the earthquake's epicentre. Pereira also suffered extensive structural damage, including at its airport.

Authorities ordered 1,000 additional security personnel to Cali following reports of looting, while curfews were imposed in Cali and Pereira as rescue and security operations continued.

Officials expect the death toll could rise as emergency crews continue reaching badly damaged areas.