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Colombia earthquake: International teams ready to support, says UN
As earthquake rescue efforts across western Colombia continued on Tuesday, UN agencies said that they stood ready to help “with everything we've got” if and when the request came from the authorities.
Official data indicated that 1,495 people have been injured and at least 126 died in Monday’s 7.4 magnitude quake which flattened homes and buildings.
“Nearly 5,000 homes have been damaged and 387 have been destroyed; 61 buildings have collapsed and more than 550 educational institutions, 24 health facilities and more than 350 community centres have [been] affected,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. “Those are official government figures, we know they are being updated as more information comes in.”
At least 12 aftershocks above magnitude 2.0 have since been recorded since the initial earthquake struck at 7:34am local time. Its its epicentre near San José del Palmar, in Chocó department, close to Valle del Cauca.
The tremor was felt across large parts of Colombia and in neighbouring countries, including Panama, Ecuador and Venezuela.
The UN system already has teams assessing the situation in the affected areas and is preparing, together with the Government, an initial emergency response meeting to determine needs and what assistance could be mobilized, according to the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia, María José Torres Macho.
“There has not been any official request for international assistance,” noted Mr. Laerke. “Should that happen, the entire UN system and, of course, humanitarians in particular stand ready to support with everything we've got," he added.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) cited official Colombian data from late Monday indicating that damage has been reported in 24 health facilities across six departments. Valle del Cauca department experienced the “most significant health infrastructure impacts” and particularly the city of Cali, said WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic. Key facilities affected include Hospital Universitario del Valle, where part of a tower housing cardiology and paediatric services collapsed, and Clinica Nuestra, which was fully evacuated.
“Our office in the country in Colombia activated its emergency response and its field teams and teams have been deployed to affected areas, including Cali and Chocó, to support health sector assessment and coordination,” Mr. Jasarevic said, briefing journalist in Geneva.
According to the Colombian Geological Service, the quake’s epicentre was at a depth of about 103 kilometres (64 miles), and was the largest seismic event recorded in the country this century.
Pereira, a city of around 500,000, lies about 35 miles from the epicentre. As emergency teams search for survivors, the city’s mayor reported 18 dead there.
In Cali, the country’s third largest city, authorities have reported multiple landslides with people trapped and have requested reinforcements for rescue operations.
Damage has also affected transport infrastructure, with several airports in western Colombia suspending operations while facilities are inspected.
Evacuation orders were issued as far away as the capital, Bogotá, which is 250 miles (402 miles) east of San José del Palmar.
The UN's Resident Coordinator Ms. Torres Macho said that once needs are identified, the UN system could provide support particularly in food security, health, water and sanitation, as well as protection for children and families in vulnerable situations.
The presence of UN agencies in several of the affected departments could also allow existing programmes, supplies and logistical capacity to be redirected towards the new emergency. Ms. Torres Macho highlighted in particular the World Food Programme’s logistical capacity near the affected areas.
Colombia earthquake update - OCHA, WHO
TRT: 2’44”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 11 AUGUST 2026 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
Speakers:
- Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA
- Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson, WHO
SHOTLIST
- Exterior wide, UN Geneva flag alley.
- Wide, UN Geneva Press room, podium speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “The official data that we have on the impact is that 1,495 people have been injured and at least 126 have died. Those are official government figures, we know they are being updated as more information comes in.”
- Wide, podium speakers, Press Room.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “Nearly 5,000 homes have been damaged and 387 have been destroyed; 61 buildings have collapsed and more than 550 educational institutions, 24 health facilities and more than 350 community centres have [been] affected.”
- Medium-wide, podium speakers, TV screen showing speaker.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “The UN team is, of course, monitoring very, very closely. The OCHA team is monitoring very, very closely, that's why we have these reports. And the entire country team is meeting today to see how they can further support the national response of the Colombian authorities in any way, shape or form that may be requested, required or needed.”
- Wide, TV screens showing speaker, Press Room and participants.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Jens Laerke, spokesperson, OCHA: “For the moment, there has not been any official request for international assistance; that is just as I speak, that may, of course, change. Should that happen, the entire UN system and, of course, humanitarians in particular, stand ready to support with everything we've got.”
- Wide, TV screen showing speaker, journalists, participants.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson, WHO: “As of last night, Geneva time, damage has been reported in 24 health facilities across six departments. And that Valle del Cauca [department] has experienced the most significant health infrastructure impacts, particularly in the city of Cali. Key facilities affected include Hospital Universitario del Valle, where part of a tower housing cardiology and paediatric services collapsed, and Clinica Nuestra, which was fully evacuated.”
- Wide, podium speakers.
- SOUNDBITE (English) – Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson, WHO: “Our office in the country in Colombia activated its emergency response and its field teams and teams have been deployed to affected areas, including Cali and Chocó, to support health sector assessment and coordination.”
- Medium, journalist.
- Medium, journalist.
- Medium, journalist.
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The key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 report covering the hydrological cycle and extreme events in the five-year period to last year:
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“You asked if it could happen again? Absolutely; the problem in this region is that there’s 63,700 glaciers at the last count,” she told a Press Conference in Geneva. “Even if you’re looking with remote sensing with satellites at these glaciers, you might see some faults, you might see some slight shifting, that does not mean necessarily catastrophic collapse. So, in order to plan for this, it’s very, very difficult. But the international community is looking very hard at ways in which we can bring people together to solve some of these monitoring issues.”
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Every major glacier region on Earth lost ice for the fourth consecutive year.
“All 19 glacier regions around the globe lost ice; in Central Asia, Iceland, the Russian Arctic and western Canada and the United States, it was among the three worst years on record,” said Wayne Jenkinson, WMO’s Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere.
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ends