2026 Colombia earthquake

The coastal parts of Ecuador and southern Colombia lie above the convergent boundary where the Malpelo plate subducts beneath the South American plate along the Colombia–Ecuador Trench. At this location the Malpelo plate, the microplate northeast of the Nazca plate, is moving to the east relative to South America at a rate of 58 mm (2.3 in) per year.^[1] North of the Carnegie Ridge, the subduction interface has four recognisable segments, from south to north, the Esmeraldas, Manglares, Tumaco and Patia segments.^[2] This plate boundary has been the location of several great historical earthquakes, most associated with damaging tsunamis. In 1906, a 500–600 km (310–370 mi) long segment of the plate interface ruptured, causing a magnitude 8.8 earthquake (rupturing all four segments) and a trans-Pacific tsunami.^[3]

Earthquakes at depths of approximately 70 to 300 km (43 to 186 mi) are conventionally classified as intermediate-depth earthquakes. In most subduction zones, they occur within descending oceanic slabs rather than on the shallower plate interface. In southern Colombia's Cauca region, however, an unusual subset occurs at depths of approximately 80 to 160 km (50 to 99 mi) within the mantle wedge above the subducting Nazca slab; the broader cluster also includes intraslab earthquakes. The Cauca earthquake cluster occupies approximately 4.5°N 76.15°W / 4.5; -76.15.^[4]

Intermediate-depth earthquakes are normally uncommon in the mantle above a subducting slab because the mantle there is generally too hot to sustain earthquake-producing failure. Thermo-petrolgic models indicate that, along the northern transect through the Cauca cluster, the maximum depth of decoupling is anomalously deep and reaches the down-dip end of the subducted Panamá–Chocó terrane at approximately 180 km (110 mi) depth. The model predicts temperatures below approximately 600 to 700 °C (1,112 to 1,292 °F) in the region of the supra-slab earthquakes, consistent with the occurrence of seismic failure there.^[4]

Beneath the Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Central, and between latitudes 4°N and 6°N, subducted oceanic crust of the nazca plate is sheared along an east-southeast trending "slab tear" zone. This zone also mark the boundary between two distinct slab geometries; to the north, the slab exhibits flat slab subduction. This slab north of the tear may represent remnants of the Caribbean plate or Coiba microplate.^[5]

The earthquake measured 7.4 on the moment magnitude scale and struck at a depth of 110.3 km (68.5 mi) according to the United States Geological Survey.^[6] The Colombian Geological Survey put the earthquake at the same magnitude and reported a depth of 96 km (60 mi). It had an epicenter 20 km (12 mi) from San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó and struck at 07:34 COT.^[7] It was caused by strike-slip faulting at an intermediate depth along either a northeast trending left-lateral or northwest trending right-lateral fault. The earthquake represented a rupture within the subducting Nazca plate as it subducts eastwards beneath South America along the Ecuador–Colombia trench.^[6]

The Colombian Geological Service said it was the strongest earthquake in the country in the last decade.^[8] It was followed by at least 33 aftershocks,^[9] the largest of which having a magnitude of mb 5.0 struck at 08:18 COT.^[10] The immediate epicenter area was also the epicenter area of a 108 km (67 mi) deep M_w 7.2 earthquake on 23 November 1979.^[11][8]

The earthquake was felt in 32 of Colombia's departmental capitals, forcing evacuations.^[12] Shaking was estimated to have lasted for around two minutes^[13] and was also felt in Panama,^[14] Ecuador,^[15] and Venezuela.^[16]

Local officials reported at least 164 people were killed.^[17][18] According to a missing person tracking website, 3,207 people were unaccounted for.^[19] Sixty people were killed in Pereira,^[18] including three at Matecaña International Airport, which partially collapsed.^[20][21] One death was reported in Buenaventura,^[20] and four in Manizales.^[18] At least 42 deaths were reported in Valle del Cauca Department.^[20][22] One person also died in Antioquia Department.^[20] Damage was also reported at more than 10 airports,^[23] including in Manizales, Quibdó, Armenia, Cartago and Buenaventura.^[13] The Colombian Civil Aviation Authority said flights were suspended at these airports.^[20] The Puracé volcano in Cauca emitted fumes after the earthquake.^[24]

Four people died, 36 structures collapsed^[18] and several churches were damaged in Manizales.^[25][26] One of the towers of the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary collapsed into the nave.^[27] A four-story building partially collapsed in the city.^[21] In Armenia, 174 people were injured, five buildings collapsed, 240 homes and 40 buildings were damaged including the control tower and the runway of El Edén International Airport.^[28] In Pereira, at least 65 buildings collapsed, including 15 in which people were trapped in the immediate aftermath. Some people were also trapped inside the city's cable cars.^[29]

In the department of Chocó, where the epicenter was located, 13 deaths^[30] and 119 injuries were recorded.^[31] Eight people were killed, 36 were injured, 10 others were left missing and 42 structures collapsed in Quibdó.^[18] Nubia Carolina Córdoba [es], the governor of Chocó, said several municipalities were severely impacted, while preliminary reports described damages in Quibdo as well as the Alto and Bajo Baudó regions as "monstrous."^[32]

In the epicenter town, San José del Palmar, 20 buildings completely collapsed and 400 homes were damaged. The scale of damage is not known due to the lack of communication infrastructure although in a brief early communication between an official and El Tiempo, there was no deaths but an unspecified number of people were injured.^[33] In Valle de Cauca, 80% of homes were reportedly destroyed in El Cairo.^[20] Severe infrastructural damage was also recorded in the towns of Riofrío and Vijes. In Cali, at least 85 people died,^[17] 700 were injured and another 188 people were reported missing in the city. More than 5,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed including 40 buildigs that totally collapsed. Eighteen hospitals were also damaged.^[34] Alejandro Eder, the mayor, said buildings collapsed and trapped an unknown number of people. One building, in El Lido neighborhood, experienced a complete collapse. Heavy damage was also reported at the nearby University Hospital of Valle.^[35][36] In Quindio Department, 130 people were injured and damage was reported.^[37]

The earthquake was felt strongly in Bogotá, where people evacuated from buildings. Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said some buildings were cracked but there were no reports of severe damage.^[38] In the department of Cundinamarca, there were two reports of building damage, including structural damage to a school in Nilo.^[21] In Antioquia, one person was killed by a rockfall in Támesis.^[39] More than 350 homes, 61 schools, 29 churches and 7 hospitals were damaged in the department.^[40] Caved-in roofs and fractured walls were reported in towns on the outskirts of Medellin.^[41]

Evacuations were also ordered in several buildings across Panama following the shaking.^[42] Panama City's rapid transit Panama Metro temporarily suspended service on Lines 1 and 2. It returned to normal operations after structural inspections confirmed no risks.^[43] Slight structural damage was observed in a health center in Montijo and at several buildings in Panama Oeste Province. The Fire Department attended to two people who suffered anxiety attacks in Chitré.^[44] Six homes were damaged in Carchi and Esmeraldas provinces and masonry fell from a building in Guayas Province, Ecuador.^[45][46]

• 1999 Colombia earthquake
• 2026 Venezuela earthquakes
• List of earthquakes in 2026
• List of earthquakes in Colombia