Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on 10 August, resulting in over 300 deaths, 426 missing persons, and more than 4,500 injuries across 472 municipalities in 15 departments, according to government figures cited by UN agencies. The quake damaged over 134,000 homes and destroyed nearly 30,000, with at least 413 roads affected, complicating access to some communities. Humanitarian agencies are seeking $148.1 million to reach 671,000 people in hardest-hit areas, including Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, Chocó, and Caldas.
Jean-Philippe Antolin, a humanitarian response and recovery specialist with the UN Migration Agency (IOM), reported from Quibdó, Chocó's capital, that some communities remain inaccessible or have only been accessed once, with urgent needs ongoing. Families face unsafe housing conditions, prompting many to sleep outdoors due to fears of structural collapse. Approximately 71 temporary collective accommodation sites housing around 4,700 people have been identified across the affected departments, while many others remain with relatives or in improvised shelters. Antolin emphasized the need to avoid focusing aid solely on shelter sites.
Recent heavy rains in affected areas such as Pereira, Buenaventura, and Quibdó have worsened living conditions, increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases like dengue and diarrhoeal and respiratory illnesses due to contaminated water. At least 50 hospitals have reported severe damage, and essential services including electricity, water, oxygen, medical supplies, and transport have been disrupted, further straining health services.