7.4 quake in Medellín: firefighters and engineers assess damage

On the morning of August 10, 2026, a strong tremor of magnitude 7.4 shook Colombia. In Medellín, Mayor Federico Gutiérrez reported that there were no victims and that rescue teams are working intensively to identify any damage.

Immediate situation in Medellín

The mayor declared that, by noon, there were no reports of injured or dead people in the Antioquia capital. At the same time, the Medellín Fire Department and risk‑management specialists were deployed throughout the territory to inspect buildings and cross‑check public reports of cracks or other issues.

Firefighters' and rescue team actions

A total of 263 firefighters and 40 structural engineers were mobilized to respond to incoming calls. In addition, the Fire Department organized a rescue team of 21 specialists searching for people in collapsed buildings, accompanied by two engineers, ready to be deployed to cities such as Cali, Manizales, Pereira or Quibdó, as required by the National Government.

Verification of transport lines

The Metro mass‑transport system activated an emergency protocol, carried out a detailed inspection of its lines and found no issues that would compromise operational safety. For this reason, service was restored around noon.

Public calls and mayor's guidance

The emergency line 123 received 361 calls, none related to human losses. The mayor urged calm among the population and warned against sharing false messages that could cause panic, emphasizing that it is not possible to determine whether aftershocks will occur.

Situation in neighboring municipalities

Mayors of Itagüí, Envigado, Sabaneta and Bello also released their reports. In Itagüí, Diego Torres reported no injured people and that firefighters are addressing reports of cracks. Raúl Cardona of Envigado activated the Municipal Emergency Response System, with no records of people or spaces compromised. Alder Cruz of Sabaneta highlighted the absence of fatalities or serious structural damage. In Bello, Lorena González Ospina sent a reassuring message, mentioning firefighter patrols and reports of cracks in the Niquía area, as well as some cases of pressure and panic attacks, without injuries linked to the quake.

Preliminary national assessment

By 12:30 p.m., the National Disaster Management Committee recorded 111 deaths and 87 injured across the country. The assessment identified 61 collapsed buildings, 1,575 damaged residences, 37 houses completely destroyed and 18 health facilities with impacts on their physical installations. Additionally, 18 national roads were reported damaged and commercial operations were completely suspended at six airports in the affected region due to structural failures in the terminals. The government declared a National State of Disaster while damage assessment continues.

With information from El Colombiano.