Story perspectives

Colombia quake kills 181 as rescuers pull 20 survivors

8/12/2026

Summary

Rescue Teams Save

Rescue teams raced on Wednesday after the 7.4-magnitude quake that killed at least 181 people in Colombia.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said 2,595 were injured, 195 missing (civilian data suggest up to 4,000), and police tightened controls around collapse sites.
Fire department official Camilo Cano said rescuers saved over 20 people from the Torres del Limonar complex in the first 12 hours, including a woman rescued alive.

Summary

Leaders Deploy Aid

Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said EU activated the Copernicus satellite service and pledged funding for earthquake response.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and damage assessments.
Colombian President de la Espriella unveiled housing aid for families, ordered military, police, engineers and search dogs to the epicenter.
Airports in cities closed for inspections, prompting Wounaan leader Victor Chamapuro to urge food and medicine after homes collapsed.

History

Historical Context

On 12 January 2010 a magnitude 7.0 quake struck near Léogâne, shattering Port-au-Prince and killing an estimated 230,000 Haitians. The disaster exposed Haiti’s weak building codes and spurred a massive international response, with the United Nations coordinating aid and leaders such as President Barack Obama and former President Bill Clinton mobilizing hundreds of millions of dollars. The crisis reshaped global disaster-relief protocols.

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Rescue Teams Save

Rescue teams raced on Wednesday after the 7.4-magnitude quake that killed at least 181 people in Colombia.
President Abelardo de la Espriella said 2,595 were injured, 195 missing (civilian data suggest up to 4,000), and police tightened controls around collapse sites.
Fire department official Camilo Cano said rescuers saved over 20 people from the Torres del Limonar complex in the first 12 hours, including a woman rescued alive.

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