The first buildings fell in seconds. Then came the screams. Across Colombia, concrete turned to dust as a 7.4‑magnitude earthquake ripped through cities, churches, and hospitals at dawn. Families were buried where they slept. Terrified crowds watched cathedral spires collapse like paper, running through choking clouds of grey, searching for voices under the ru…
At 7.30am, Colombia woke to its worst nightmare in a decade. A 7.4‑magnitude earthquake, deep beneath San Jose del Palmar, tore violently through the country, killing at least 47 people and injuring many more. In Pereira and Manizales, homes and churches crumbled; Manizales Cathedral lost its spire as worshippers and bystanders fled in terror. More than 30 buildings were destroyed there alone, while Cali saw at least 20 structures collapse, forcing hospitals to wheel frail patients into the streets as aftershocks threatened what was left standing.
In Choco, entire blocks folded as residents sprinted for their lives, clutching children and dragging the fallen from the ground while dust turned morning into twilight. The quake was felt across Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela, shaking a region already on edge. Colombia’s president promised swift aid and rebuilding, but for thousands staring at twisted ruins where their homes once stood, survival tonight is the only plan they can see.