Colombia quake kills 111, collapses buildings near Pacific coast

At least 111 people are dead after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia late Tuesday night, flattening dozens of buildings and leaving survivors trapped under rubble. The quake, centered near the Pacific coast in the Cauca department, struck at 11:14 p.m. local time, catching most people at home. Rescue efforts are now underway in the dark, with aftershocks still hitting the region and hampering search teams.

Colombia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a hotspot for seismic activity where tectonic plates collide. The country experiences thousands of tremors every year, but most are minor. This one was unusually strong, and its location near the densely populated Cauca Valley and the port city of Buenaventura made the impact severe. Poor construction standards in some areas worsened the damage, as older buildings and informal housing lacked proper earthquake reinforcement. Emergency services and local authorities say the death toll is likely to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.

Rescue teams, including firefighters and volunteers, are working through the night with limited equipment. Colombia’s National Disaster Risk Management Unit (UNGRD) has activated emergency protocols and requested international aid. Nearby countries, including Ecuador and Peru, have offered support, while the United Nations and the Red Cross are assessing needs. Power outages have left parts of the region in darkness, and communication networks are unstable, making coordination difficult.

Officials warn that aftershocks could trigger landslides in the mountainous terrain, blocking roads and cutting off access to some communities. The government has set up temporary shelters and is distributing food and water, but the scale of destruction suggests a long recovery ahead. Colombia’s president has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas. While the immediate focus is on rescuing survivors, experts say the quake will likely prompt a review of building codes and disaster preparedness across the region. For now, the country faces a grim cleanup as the true cost of the disaster becomes clearer.