Strong earthquake strikes Chocó province in Colombia; damage and injuries reported
Tremors felt in Bogotá and as far as Venezuela; officials report injuries and damaged buildings in Chocó province.
A strong earthquake struck Colombia on 10 August 2026, with authorities reporting damage and injuries in the Pacific coastal province of Chocó and tremors felt as far as Bogotá and neighbouring Venezuela.
Magnitude and epicentre
Local agencies reported an initial magnitude of 6.6, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) registered a 7.2 magnitude for the same event. The quake’s epicentre was located in Chocó province, near the town of San José del Palmar.
Chocó’s governor, Nubia Carolina Córdoba-Curi, confirmed there are both injured people and damaged buildings in the provincial capital Quibdó and described the situation as serious. “Chocó has been hit by a devastating earthquake. We are concerned about possible further tremors. Although the epicentre was near San José del Palmar, there are injured people and buildings in the provincial capital Quibdó sustained significant damage. We are already working on assessing the damage and will publish the first official report soon,” she said.
The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Galán, said that so far there have been no reports of fatalities or major structural damage in the capital, while emergency services in Chocó continued search, rescue and damage-assessment operations.
Tremors were felt across a wide area, including parts of neighbouring Venezuela. Earlier this year Venezuela experienced severe earthquakes that resulted in more than 5,000 deaths, underscoring the region’s seismic vulnerability.
Authorities warned of the risk of aftershocks and urged residents in affected areas to follow official guidance. Officials said a first formal damage assessment would be released soon as teams continue to evaluate the impact and support those affected.
Photo: press material from the event
