Death toll rises after magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits Colombia

Nexus Europa Newsroom
Posted Aug 16, 2026, 09:00 PM UTC · In the digest of 2026-08-16-2100
Death toll rises after magnitude 7.4 earthquake hits Colombia
Photo: Ziarul de Gardă

Rescue teams continue searching through rubble in Colombia following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, with reported fatalities reaching at least 164 amid a nationwide state of emergency.

Emergency crews in Colombia are continuing rescue operations in the aftermath of a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that devastated parts of the country and triggered a nationwide state of emergency. The tremor was centered near San José del Palmar in western Colombia and was felt across neighboring Ecuador.

Casualty figures have continued to climb as recovery efforts expand. While earlier reports from Adevărul and HotNews cited preliminary tolls of dozens dead, Digi24 and Ziarul de Gardă reported at least 132 fatalities and over 500 injured. Moldova1 reported that verified deaths reached at least 164. Military units and emergency responders are searching through collapsed structures, where numerous individuals remain trapped, prompting officials to warn that the casualty count is likely to increase further.

Sources: Adevărul, Digi24, HotNews, Moldova1, Ziarul de Gardă.

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