The five strongest earthquakes in Colombia's history

A magnitude‑7.4 earthquake recorded on the morning of August 10, 2026, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó, rekindled the memory of the most intense quakes that have ever shaken Colombia. The country, located in the interaction zone of the Nazca, Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, has been the stage for some of the most powerful seismic events in Latin America.

The August 10, 2026 quake

The magnitude‑7.4 movement was felt across most of the national territory and even in neighboring countries such as Ecuador. Cities like Pereira, Manizales, Cali, Armenia and Quibdó reported severe impacts, with buildings collapsing in Cali, Pereira and Manizales. Because of its intensity, the 2026 earthquake stands out as the strongest recorded in the last decade.

The largest recorded earthquake in 1906

On January 31, 1906, Colombia experienced the largest documented quake, with a magnitude of 8.8 and an epicenter on the Colombian and Ecuadorian Pacific coast. The released energy generated a tsunami that struck the Pacific shoreline, causing flooding and severe damage in municipalities such as Tumaco, Guapi, Timbiquí, El Charco and La Tola. This event still ranks among the ten most powerful ever recorded worldwide.

The 1979 earthquake that triggered a tsunami

In the early hours of December 12, 1979, a magnitude‑8.1 quake occurred off the coast of Nariño, triggering another tsunami that advanced several kilometres inland. The waves destroyed homes, vessels and communication routes, resulting in hundreds of victims and thousands of displaced persons, making it one of the largest natural disasters of the 20th century in the country.

Magnitude‑greater‑than‑7 quakes in 1992 and 1967

On October 18, 1992, a magnitude‑7.1 earthquake shook the Middle Atrato region, between Urabá in Antioquia and the department of Chocó. The population of Murindó was almost completely devastated, requiring the later relocation of the municipality. The event also caused landslides and soil liquefaction phenomena, affecting other localities in Antioquia and Chocó.

On February 9, 1967, a magnitude‑7 quake was recorded in Colombian territory. Although it is not frequently remembered by the public, the earthquake was felt across much of the country and caused significant damage in the central and southern regions.

Lower‑magnitude but devastating quakes, such as the 1962 event

On July 30, 1962, an earthquake estimated between 6.5 and 6.9 shook the Coffee Axis, causing severe losses in Antioquia, Caldas, Risaralda and Valle del Cauca. Sonsón was one of the most affected cities, with around 500 houses destroyed and the old Cathedral of Our Lady of Chiquinquirá seriously damaged, leading to the demolition of the temple in 1963.

With information from El Colombiano.