Bogota, August 19, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The death toll from the devastating earthquake that struck Colombia has risen to 312, while 4,611 people have been injured and 290 remain missing, local authorities said.
The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management said the earthquake affected 470 municipalities across 15 departments. The disaster caused widespread damage, with 277 buildings reported collapsed, nearly 30,000 homes destroyed and more than 134,000 others damaged.
National and international search-and-rescue teams continued operations in affected areas, searching through rubble for survivors and those still missing. So far, 358 people have reportedly been rescued.
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry said more than 220 tonnes of humanitarian assistance had reached the country, while 144 international specialists joined emergency response operations, Xinhua news agency reported.
Thousands of affected residents remained in temporary shelters and tents, particularly in the worst-hit areas of Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Choco.
India has also extended assistance to Colombia following the disaster. Last week, the country sent the first tranche of 20 metric tonnes of relief supplies, including medicines and medical equipment, temporary shelter material, hygiene supplies and other essential items.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar expressed solidarity with the Colombian people and said India would continue supporting the country’s post-earthquake recovery efforts.
“Dispatched the first tranche of the 20 MT relief supplies to Colombia to support ongoing post-earthquake recovery efforts,” Jaishankar said in a post on X, adding that the assistance included essential medical and shelter supplies.
The earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The epicentre was located near San Jose del Palmar at a depth of 96 km.
The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management had earlier reported that 44,936 families and 102,105 people across 15 departments and 426 municipalities were affected. At that stage, 10,677 homes had been destroyed and another 65,841 damaged.
The latest assessment indicates the scale of the disaster has continued to grow as authorities conduct detailed surveys across the affected regions.
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