Published on: 2026-08-11
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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August 11, 2026 Climate and Environment
The UN Secretary-General is saddened by reports that more than 160 people have died and many others have been injured as a result of a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that occurred yesterday in Colombia. This was stated in a statement issued on Tuesday by the UN Press Service.
António Guterres expressed solidarity with the people and authorities of Colombia, offered condolences to the families of the deceased, and wished a speedy recovery to all those affected.
The United Nations maintains close contact with the Colombian authorities and supports the efforts being undertaken by the government, the statement says.
According to official data, at least 1,495 people were injured as a result of the earthquake.
“Almost 5,000 homes have been damaged, 387 destroyed; 61 buildings have collapsed. More than 550 educational institutions, 24 medical facilities, and over 350 community centers have been affected,” reported Jens Laerke, a representative of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
“These are official government data, and we know they are updated as new information becomes available,” he added.
The UN is mobilizing resources to assist affected areas
The UN is reallocating resources and deploying additional personnel to the affected areas, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Colombia Maria José Torres Macho said on Tuesday.
The government has appealed to the UN to support the measures being taken at the national level; among the top priorities are providing temporary housing, medical, and food aid to those affected.
According to her, the UN is acting promptly and, in particular, is providing emergency aid kits. The possibility of using mobile teams in remote areas is being considered, including to provide medical services to pregnant women.
Losses in the healthcare sector
The Colombian department of Valle del Cauca suffered the most severe consequences in terms of damage to medical infrastructure. This was reported on Tuesday by Tarik Yasarevic, a representative of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Among the key impacted facilities is the Valle del Cauca University Hospital, where part of the tower housing cardiology and pediatric departments collapsed, as well as the Nuestra clinic, which was completely evacuated.
“Our office in Colombia has activated emergency response mode, and field teams have been dispatched to the affected areas to assess the state of the healthcare sector and coordinate actions,” Yasarevich said, speaking to journalists in Geneva.
The strongest earthquake of this century
The earthquake occurred on Monday at about 7:34 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was located near San José del Palmar in the Chocó department, close to Valle del Cauca. Tremors were felt across a large part of Colombia and in neighboring countries, including Panama, Ecuador, and Venezuela. According to the Colombian Geological Service, this was the largest seismic event recorded in the country in the current century.
The damage also affected transportation infrastructure, including six airports. The government activated emergency coordination centers in four cities. Evacuation orders were even issued in the capital, Bogotá, located 250 miles east of San José del Palmar.
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