A powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on 10 August 2026, killing at least 304 people and injuring thousands more.
Rescue teams and local communities are continuing to search damaged and collapsed buildings, while the full scale of the emergency is still emerging. An estimated 438,000 people across 14 departments have been affected and aftershocks are continuing daily. The earthquake has destroyed 26,558 homes, and affected 3,074 educational institutions in the country, leaving 75,297 students without safe access to education.
Aftershocks, damaged roads and airports, disrupted communications, mountainous terrain and heavy seasonal rain may make it harder to reach some of the worst-affected communities quickly.
People whose homes have been destroyed or which are no longer safe are likely to need emergency shelter, clean water, food, medical care, sanitation, protection and cash support.
ActionAid already works in the region, and our team in Colombia is liaising with local communities and women’s rights organisations to understand where needs are greatest and prepare a response.
This earthquake has struck communities that were already living through armed conflict, displacement, food insecurity and unequal access to essential services.
For many families, this is an emergency layered on top of years of hardship. They urgently need your help. Please donate today.
Urgent needs
Shelter, food, safe water, along with hygiene and health kits are all urgently needed in the areas worst affected by the earthquake.
Many families whose homes have been destroyed are now living without essentials such as mattresses and mosquito nets. By supporting our Colombia Earthquake Appeal you can help deliver these items to families who need them.
Colombia earthquake: How can I help?
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What is happening in Colombia?
Hospitals in areas affected by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the Chocó region of western Colombia are reported to be completely overwhelmed, as the number of casualties continues to rise.
ActionAid Colombia’s staff and partner organisations have been assessing the situation and have launched a humanitarian response.
Medical teams at the Barco Hospital San Raffaele, ActionAid’s partner organisation based in Buenaventura, Valle del Cauca, have already been deployed to the centre of the city, while others are on standby waiting to respond.
Egido Sanz, acting Country Director of ActionAid Colombia, said
"As the hours pass, we are learning the full magnitude of this tragedy. The number of people affected, and the number of victims continues to rise, as severe damage is confirmed to homes, roads, and other essential infrastructure and services — including health, water, electricity, and internet access.
"In the areas where we work, our partner organisations describe a very difficult situation, with communities that have lost their homes, difficulties accessing basic services that are already overwhelmed, and urgent needs that continue to grow. Together with our partner organisations on the ground, we are prepared to respond to this humanitarian emergency with a multisectoral intervention to meet the population’s most immediate needs — including cash assistance, food, basic and women-specific hygiene items, and health and gender-based violence prevention services — with particular attention to women, children, and people in situations of greater vulnerability.”
About ActionAid
ActionAid is an international charity that works with women and girls living in poverty.
Our dedicated local staff are changing the world with women and girls. We are ending violence and fighting poverty so that all women, everywhere, can create the future they want.
We operate in rural and urban communities across Asia, Africa and Latin America.
We're committed to ending the cycle of violence in communities around the world, enabling women's economic empowerment, and supporting women's and girls' rights during humanitarian crises.
Where your money goes
90% of your donation will go directly to our Appeal.
10% of your donation will be retained for ActionAid’s Emergency Action Fund which will only be used for ensuring we are prepared and able to respond quickly and more effectively to future emergencies and crises.
If the total amount raised for this appeal exceeds the funds needed for the response, ActionAid will transfer the remaining balance to the Emergency Action Fund. All Gift Aid claimed on donations will fund ActionAid’s work across the world, wherever the need is greatest.
Page updated 9 September 2026