Colombia Earthquake: Toll Rises, Mourning Declared
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing at least 71 people and causing extensive damage across Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, and Chocó, with hospitals and infrastructure reported damaged and ongoing rescue efforts. President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national disaster to mobilize emergency response and relief as the death toll rose and aid coordination intensified.
World · 240 sources · Aug 15, 2026Read itThe journal
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About Chocó Department
Chocó Department is a department of the Pacific region of Colombia, known for hosting the largest Afro-Colombian population in the nation, and a large population of Amerindian and mixed African-Amerindian Colombians. It is in the west of the country, and is the only Colombian department to have coastlines on both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. It contains all of Colombia's border with Panama. Its capital is Quibdó.
Everything about Chocó Department →- Country
- Colombia
- Inception
- November 3, 1947
- Website
- http://www.choco.gov.co