Colombia declares three days of national mourning as earthquake death toll rises to 265

Volunteers help with removal and rescue efforts at the Plaza Victoria neighborhood after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on August 11, 2026 in Pereira, Colombia. (Photo/Gabriel Aponte/Getty Images)

Colombia has declared three days of mourning to honour the victims of Monday's devastating 7.4-magnitude earthquake, as the death toll rose to 265, with at least 3,494 people injured and 496 remaining missing.

President Abelardo De La Espriella announced that national flags will fly at half-mast on all public buildings and diplomatic missions.

The quake, which occurred at 07:34 local time (12:34 GMT) Monday near San Jose del Palmar, Choco, at a depth of 107 kilometres, is the deadliest to strike Colombia this century.

Emergency crews worked around the clock in major cities such as Pereira and Cali, using heavy machinery, search dogs, and human chains.

"Our efforts are focused on the disappeared," De La Espriella said.

Damage scale and aid controversy

According to a damage assessment released by the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), the quake destroyed 9,215 homes and damaged 45,457 others, prompting a national disaster declaration.

UNGRD director David Santiago Tamayo announced that the government would prioritise technical rescue deployments from four partner nations: the US, Israel, Ecuador, and El Salvador, citing strict operational criteria.

The policy drew criticism from former President Gustavo Petro, who posted on X: "It is a mistake to apply an ideological filter to international aid.

Officials clarified that Colombia has not formally excluded aid from any nation.

Despite the debate, Mexico's civilian volunteer group Brigada Internacional de Rescate Topos Azteca arrived in Cali on Wednesday to join search efforts.

Impact was severe in rural areas near the epicentre.

In El Cairo, Valle del Cauca, local emergency posts reported that 80 percent of urban infrastructure sustained damage, with roughly 10 percent of local buildings collapsing completely.

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Source: TRT