Colombia is facing the worst earthquake in its history, as the 7.4-magnitude quake that rocked the country has left in its wake the dead, injured, missing persons, and widespread destruction.
According to the latest, still preliminary, tally, the death toll has reached 224, while high-rise buildings in the cities of Pereira and Cali have collapsed, hospitals have sustained damage,
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At the same time, the number of people trapped in the rubble remains unclear, with rescuers racing against time.
If you decide to leave your home after an earthquake, stay away from balconies and windows.
Oh my God
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The Terrifying Minutes
The earthquake’s long duration also terrified residents, a fact highlighted by many citizens on social media.
In response, the Colombian Geological Survey (CGS) launched a thread on Platform X, explaining that the perceived duration of an earthquake and its actual duration are two different things, and that a number of factors must be taken into account:
“When we talk about the duration of an earthquake, we can mean three different things: how long people feel it, how long it is recorded by our instruments, or how long the movement of the fault that causes it lasts.”
READ ALSO: Shocking video: The dramatic rescue of a mother and her six-month-old baby from the rubble
The KGU explains that seismometers can detect movements that people never perceive, so sometimes, while a person feels an earthquake for just a few seconds, the devices may record it for as long as several minutes.
A building literally crumbles as huge chunks of concrete fall near people running out of it in Colombia during the 7.4-magnitude earthquake. pic.twitter.com/ln1t5dHkcU
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) August 10, 2026
For those who claim they felt it for a longer period of time, the KGU points out that perception can vary from person to person and is also influenced by other factors, such as the type of ground they are standing on, as certain soft soils can amplify the motion and make it seem to last longer.
In the case of Monday’s (August 10) major 7.4-magnitude earthquake, the report states that “the monitoring stations closest to the epicenter recorded between 90 seconds and 2 minutes of significant shaking.”
At the same time, local authorities in Cali, Manizales, and Pereira have imposed a curfew for the evening hours (from 8:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. the following day) to prevent looting, as thousands of residents have fled their homes in the area in search of safer outdoor shelter.
A race against time for those trapped
The 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck on Monday shook Cali, Quibdó, Pereira, and many other cities and communities.
About 1,600 buildings were damaged or collapsed, according to the AP. Soldiers, rescuers, and relatives of the missing searched through the rubble, removing large chunks of concrete by hand and passing them to one another through a human chain of volunteers.
The moment an infant was rescued from the rubble
Colombian rescuers pull a months-old baby alive from the rubble after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
Follow: https://t.co/7Dg3b41hTx pic.twitter.com/KGu4gozLPt
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Volunteers and rescue workers continue to search the rubble for people trapped after the deadly earthquake.
In the city of Cali, volunteers immediately rushed to the scene to work with pickaxes, simple tools, and their bare hands, trying to find survivors.
Andrés Felipe Mejía was one of those who joined a makeshift rescue team. “We’re trying to get them all out alive,” he said near a collapsed high-rise building.
“One of the rescuers asked those trapped to whistle, and someone whistled in response. ‘They pulled out a man and a baby, but the wife is still in there.’”
Rescuers formed human chains to clear away bricks and concrete, pausing every few minutes to listen for signs of life from those trapped beneath.
Hospital Collapses in Cali
Several patients are trapped beneath the rubble of a hospital that partially collapsed in Cali, in western Colombia, following the deadly 7.4-magnitude earthquake.
Certain sections of the University Hospital of Cali, including the pediatric ward, “have collapsed,” Dilian Francisca Toro, governor of Valle del Cauca, told local media.
“As a result, there are people who are trapped,” she said in a video posted on X. Firefighters and the military “are working to rescue them,” she added.
URGENT. HEART-WRENCHING IMAGES. PART OF THE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL IN CALI COLLAPSES.
This is how part of the University Hospital in Cali—one of the cities hardest hit by the earthquake—collapsed, according to a report by @cristiancrespoj. #Colombia #Earthquake2026 #Cali @hazclicradar @PachoRodriG…
Advertisement— Lourdes M. Molina Navarro (@lmolina6) August 10, 2026
The earthquake also struck the so-called “Coffee Region”
The earthquake struck Colombia’s so-called “Coffee Region” (Eje Cafetero), a mountainous, lush region of great cultural significance that serves as a major pillar of the country’s economy.
The same region was also struck by a powerful earthquake in 1999, when nearly 1,200 people lost their lives.
Much of the damage from Monday’s earthquake has been concentrated in this mountainous and lush region, which, in addition to its contribution to Colombia’s economy, attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
#Temblor Colombia eje cafetero pic.twitter.com/pqiXfuVPqB
— Jessik (@TiestoLifee) August 10, 2026
Stranded on a cable car for six hours
Sixteen people were rescued from a cable car in the western Colombian city of Pereira, the mayor’s office announced on Monday.
The passengers were inside the cable car cabins when a strong earthquake struck on Monday morning and were successfully evacuated about six hours later, around 1:30 p.m. local time, according to the statement.
Operations on the Pereira cable car system will remain suspended until further notice while safety inspections are conducted, according to the statement.
Moments of Tension in Cali Following Earthquake in Colombia
A group of passengers on the Mío Cable system in the city of Cali experienced moments of great anxiety during a strong earthquake. Video footage shows the commotion and distress among passengers… pic.twitter.com/424m6fzGxG
— Madelein Garcia (@madeleintlSUR) August 10, 2026
Source: ertnews.gr
