What Happened
At 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia. The epicenter was near San José del Palmar in the Chocó region, approximately 250 miles west of Bogotá. The earthquake was felt across much of the country, and several aftershocks have since been recorded. There is no tsunami threat associated with this event.
The earthquake has killed at least 200 people and forced thousands of families to evacuate their homes. Thousands more remain missing as search and rescue operations continue. Buildings have collapsed across affected areas, causing extensive damage to homes, businesses, public infrastructure and historic landmarks. Authorities continue to assess the full scale of the destruction and humanitarian needs.
The disaster comes at a time when Colombia is already facing substantial humanitarian challenges. Approximately 13 million people, nearly one-quarter of the population, experience moderate or severe food insecurity. Conflict, displacement, economic inequality, migration and climate shocks continue to affect access to nutritious food, particularly among Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, women and children, displaced populations, migrants and host communities, and smallholder farmers.
How WFP Is Responding
The Government of Colombia has activated national emergency coordination mechanisms and requested detailed damage and needs assessments. Local authorities continue conducting rapid assessments and verifying reports from affected communities.
The World Food Programme (WFP) is on the ground in Colombia and is preparing to launch an emergency response. WFP is mobilizing support and preparing to provide lifesaving food assistance and logistics support to families who have lost their homes and livelihoods.
With food stocks already available in-country and extensive logistics expertise, WFP has the capacity to provide both food and cash-based assistance as needs are assessed and response plans are finalized.
Just weeks ago, when twin earthquakes struck neighboring Venezuela, WFP rapidly mobilized humanitarian assistance and reached more than 200,000 people with hot meals, ready-to-eat food, food baskets and electronic vouchers. Today, families in Colombia urgently need support.
