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Rescuers scramble for survivors with 180 dead in Colombia earthquake

Latest update from PBS NewsHour: The report is now confirmed by PBS NewsHour. Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday's powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead - most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia - with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains at 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher - potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.

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Scoop News DeskColombia · Published Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 7:09 PM UTCUpdated Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 8:36 AM UTC

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Firefighters in Cali have worked to pulled survivors free from rubble Rescuers searched for survivors at the site of a collapsed building in Cali Further tremors were felt in Cali on Tuesday - part of a pattern of aftershocks across the country, with more than 70 having taken place since Monday's earthquake, according to Colombia's geological service. Giving an update on Tuesday from Pereira, one of the worst hit cities, President Espriella said as well as those killed, almost 2,600 had been injured, and almost 200 people remain missing. Furthermore, there are structures where buses and trucks are trapped, and people are afraid those structures will collapse as well," he said. "We're all in shock.

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Dated changes to this report are shown here as they are published.

Version 2unpublished
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 10:40 PM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy
Version 3published
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 10:56 PM UTC
Latest update from PBS NewsHour: The report is now confirmed by PBS NewsHour. Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday's powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead - most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia - with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher - potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Version 4updated
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 11:12 PM UTC
Latest update from PBS NewsHour: The report is now confirmed by PBS NewsHour. Latest update from BBC World: Rescuers scramble for survivors with 180 dead in Colombia earthquake. Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday's powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead - most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia - with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher - potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Version 5unpublished
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 11:29 PM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy
Version 6published
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 12:38 AM UTC
Latest update from PBS NewsHour: The report is now confirmed by PBS NewsHour. Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday's powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead - most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia - with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher - potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Version 7unpublished
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 12:53 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy
Version 8published
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 8:20 AM UTC
Latest update from PBS NewsHour: The report is now confirmed by PBS NewsHour. Rescue workers in Colombia are working against the clock to free survivors trapped in buildings and under rubble following Monday's powerful earthquake. More than 180 people have been confirmed dead - most in the cities of Cali and Pereira. The magnitude 7.4 quake struck at 07:34 (12:34 GMT) on Monday and was felt across an enormous area, stretching for hundreds of miles across western Colombia - with fresh aftershocks still being felt on Tuesday. While the official death toll remains at 181, an aggregated figure gathered from local officials puts it higher - potentially at more than 240. A state of emergency has been declared by President Abelardo de la Espriella.
Version 9unpublished
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 8:36 AM UTC
Removed by Scoop Timeline eligibility policy