Colombia declares national disaster as military mobilises after 7.4 magnitude quake

Colombia has declared a national disaster situation following a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the western region on Monday, prompting an immediate and comprehensive government response. The seismic event, centred near San Jose del Palmar in the Choco region, has triggered a significant governance mobilisation, with President Abelardo de la Espriella invoking special powers to reallocate budgets and coordinate emergency operations.

The disaster has caused widespread structural failure across the country’s western provinces, with approximately 1,600 buildings reported as damaged or collapsed. Major urban centres including Cali, Quibdo, and Pereira have sustained significant damage, while the municipality of El Cairo, located near the epicentre, has seen 80 percent of its infrastructure compromised. Local officials in El Cairo report that the majority of traditional housing, constructed from sticks and mud, has crumbled in the tremors.

President de la Espriella, who assumed office on Friday, is confronting his first major crisis as head of state. In response to the devastation, he has deployed the entire military and police apparatus to the affected zones. Engineers, rescue teams, and search dogs have been dispatched to the worst-hit areas, working alongside emergency crews and residents who are manually clearing concrete debris in a bid to locate survivors trapped under the rubble.

The human cost of the disaster is escalating, with authorities confirming at least 132 deaths and more than 2,700 people reported missing. The missing persons figure is largely derived from reports submitted by families via citizen-run websites, a mechanism that has become critical as official communication channels struggle to keep pace with the scale of the emergency. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue in the coming days.

International and regional support is beginning to materialise as the government manages the aftermath. The United States has pledged $15.5 million in emergency aid to assist with relief efforts. Simultaneously, regional governments are offering support to the affected areas, which are described as some of Colombia’s poorest and most isolated regions. The earthquake, occurring at a depth of 107km, is considered the most powerful seismic event to hit the country in decades.