Colombia Earthquake Death Toll Passes 250 as Rescuers Race Against a Closing Window

This is a developing story — the death toll has changed multiple times since Monday and may not be final.

This story has been updated. It was first published Monday when the confirmed toll stood at 74, and has been revised twice since as Colombian officials released new figures.

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia Monday morning, and the confirmed death toll has now passed 250, according to Reuters, with roughly 3,500 injured and hundreds still missing. It's the country's strongest earthquake in decades.

The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in Colombia's Chocó region, at a depth of 107 kilometres. Cali, the country's third-largest city, has been hit hardest: Mayor Alejandro Eder said 40 buildings collapsed in the salsa-dancing hub of about 2 million people, with 188 people reported missing there alone as of Tuesday. In Valle del Cauca, Governor Dilian Francisca Toro reported 27 deaths, including three children, after a hospital suffered structural collapses that trapped patients, including infants.

Why the timeline matters: Cali's mayor told reporters Tuesday the city was "in a race against time," with less than a day left in the critical 72-hour survival window rescuers typically rely on. The quake follows two catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela in late June that killed more than 6,000 people — meaning northwestern South America has now absorbed two disasters of this scale within about six weeks.

What's next: Nearly 100 aftershocks have been recorded since Monday. Watch for whether the toll stabilizes as the 72-hour rescue window closes, and for Colombia's official damage assessment.

Sources and Methodology:

• CNN, live coverage, "Death toll rises following 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia" (Aug. 10, 2026) — https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/10/world/live-news/colombia-earthquake-san-jose-del-palmar
• NBC News, "More than 160 people killed in Colombia's strongest earthquake in years" — https://www.nbcnews.com/world/latin-america/strong-earthquake-colombia-ecuador-people-evacuating-homes-buildings-rcna591709

Note: casualty figures varied significantly across outlets because they published at different hours during a fast-moving disaster. We used the most recent confirmed figures available and will continue updating this article rather than publish a new one.