Earthquake aftermath in Colombia. Photo: somkanae sawatdinak / Shutterstock.com Two days after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia with its epicenter in Chocó, search-and-rescue operations are continuing as authorities assess the scale of the destruction and the death toll continues to rise.
Colombia has preliminarily recorded 241 deaths and 3,771 injuries , according to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management. The emergency has had a particularly severe impact on several major cities, with 190 of the reported deaths occurring in capital cities.
The latest consolidated report from Asocapitales, issued Wednesday, August 12, also records 1,762 injured people and 279 missing people across capital cities. Cali, Pereira, Quibdó, Manizales and Armenia remain on red alert.
As the Colombian response expands, the US State Department said the Trump administration has mobilized a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and urban search-and-rescue teams to support Colombia's emergency response.
Virginia Task Force 1 is already on the ground, providing technical expertise and assisting efforts to locate and rescue survivors.
The deployment adds specialized international support as Colombian authorities work with search-and-rescue teams, engineers, emergency personnel and heavy equipment in the hardest-hit areas.
Cali remains the most affected city, with 92 deaths, 1,008 injuries and 230 people reported missing. Authorities say 89 people have been rescued.
The earthquake has also caused extensive structural damage, with 107 homes and 56 other structures reported to have collapsed, while another 800 homes have been damaged. Three roads and four police stations have also been affected.
Some 750 rescuers are operating in Cali, including 350 personnel sent from outside the city and 14 specialized search-and-rescue dogs.
Pereira has recorded 83 deaths, 279 injuries and 45 missing people, while 243 people have been rescued.
The city has reported 75 collapsed buildings, 26 damaged homes and approximately 14 affected roads and bridges. Its transportation terminal remains closed, while Matecaña International Airport continues operating with restrictions.
Authorities say Pereira needs additional specialized BREC teams, structural assessment personnel, hospital generators, shelter supplies and blood donations.
In Quibdó, nine people have died, 119 have been injured and four remain missing. More than 1,100 homes have been affected, including 48 that have collapsed.
Manizales has reported six deaths and 182 injuries, with around 4,000 people affected. Authorities have identified extensive damage to homes, buildings and schools.
Armenia has reported no deaths but 174 injuries and approximately 1,400 damaged structures. The city remains on red alert as engineers continue assessing the safety and habitability of buildings.
Locating missing people remains one of the biggest challenges. The 279 missing people recorded across the capital cities include 230 in Cali, 45 in Pereira and four in Quibdó.
Search operations are continuing with specialized USAR and BREC teams, heavy machinery, communications equipment and structural engineers.
Authorities stress that the figures remain preliminary and subject to change as damage assessments, victim registration and search-and-rescue operations continue.