One week after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia, the country went from uncertainty to destruction: this is how the first hours were experienced

One week after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on August 10, 2026, the nation transitioned from initial uncertainty to confronting widespread destruction. The seismic event originated at 7:34 in the morning when the Nazca plate released accumulated energy at a depth of 103 kilometers beneath the locality of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, severely impacting the country's west-central region.

In the aftermath of the disaster, grassroots relief efforts have emerged across the affected areas. Private vehicles and trucks bearing humanitarian aid signs have traveled hundreds of kilometers along the region's roadways to deliver supplies, driven by citizen initiatives to support communities in the hardest-hit zones.