Colombia's Chocó earthquake death toll climbs to 312, thousands homeless
AP News reported that the death toll from the magnitude-7. 4 earthquake that struck the Chocó region of western Colombia on August 8, 2026 rose to at least 312, with thousands of homes destroyed, as rescue teams continued searching rubble and authorities urged the public to remain silent to hear possible survivors. The quake’s epicenter was near San José del Palmar; early reports cited 111 dead and a state of emergency (CBS). Later counts rose to 169 (CBS), 181 (AP), 265 (Al Jazeera) and over 280 (AP) before reaching the latest figure.
Injuries were reported in the hundreds to thousands, and missing-person estimates shifted from more than 2,700 to nearly 500. Rescue operations included pulling a baby and a trapped man from collapsed buildings in Cali (CBS, WESH), and rescuers asked for silence to better hear cries for help (AP). Colombia’s president assumed emergency command and deployed heavy equipment, while Venezuela’s acting president delayed his response, highlighting differing capacities (AP). By mid-August, the government and volunteers launched a massive rebuilding effort for over 100,000 affected people (AP).
