The ground shook during the Colombian morning, then sirens took over. On August 10, 2026, the earthquake crossed the mountain range and triggered searches, evacuations and urgent inspections.
A brutal morning in Chocó
Around San José del Palmar and Quibdó, difficult access and communication outages produced only fragmented reports. For relatives, waiting for a simple message became an ordeal. The quake also caused damage and evacuations in Cali, Pereira, Manizales and Armenia.
Transport paused for inspections
Airports in several cities suspended operations while infrastructure was checked. This necessary precaution complicated the arrival of some reinforcements. Routes changed as roads, bridges, terminals and runways were inspected.
A night of searches and anxiety
Firefighters, search teams, health workers, volunteers and canine units worked under floodlights. Aftershocks required safety pauses. Many families stayed outdoors while waiting for an inspection or news of relatives.
Watch the footage on YouTube
These Shorts document damage and search operations in the affected cities.