Magnitude 7.4 earthquake shakes Chocó, alerts Colombia

On the morning of August 10, 2026, a magnitude‑7.4 earthquake was recorded by the Colombian Geological Service (SGC) with its epicenter in San José del Palmar, Chocó department, at a depth of 96 km. The quake, one of the strongest in the country in the past decade, triggered more than thirty aftershocks throughout the afternoon.

Details of the 7.4 magnitude quake in San José del Palmar

The event occurred at 7:34 a.m. and generated aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 1.4 to 4.8, all at depths shallower than 100 km. The aftershocks were felt both in the epicentral area and in the municipality of Sipí, also in Chocó. The SGC classified the tremor as part of the region’s regular tectonic activity.

Areas of greatest seismic threat according to the SGC

The SGC’s seismic‑hazard maps indicate that the highest vulnerability is concentrated in the Pacific region, the Coffee Axis (Eje Cafetero) and sections of the Eastern Cordillera. The most exposed cities include Cali, Pasto, Popayán, Pereira, Manizales, Armenia, Bucaramanga and Cúcuta. The threat also extends to areas of Chocó, Cauca, Valle del Cauca, Nariño, Santander and Norte de Santander, as well as parts of western Antioquia and the Llanos foothills. At an intermediate level, Bogotá, Medellín, Ibagué, Tunja and Neiva are included.

The Bucaramanga seismic nest

According to Idiger, the zone that concentrates significant seismic activity is the so‑called “Bucaramanga seismic nest,” whose epicenters are mainly located on the Mesa de Los Santos in Santander. The agency describes this area as “one of the zones with the highest concentration of seismic events in Colombia.”

Historical large earthquakes in the country

• Altamira, Huila – November 16, 1827, magnitude 7.1 (Mw)
• Pacific Coast – January 31, 1906, magnitude 8.8 (Mw)
• Murindó, Antioquia – October 18, 1992, magnitude 7.1 (Mw)
• Coffee Axis – January 25, 1999, magnitude 6.1

These records, which date back to the 17th century, demonstrate that different regions of Colombia have already experienced earthquakes of considerable intensity.

Threat levels and mitigation measures

Colombia’s territory presents three seismic‑threat levels – high, intermediate and low – and about 83 % of the national population lives in areas of intermediate or high threat. Idiger states that “Seismic risk cannot be eliminated, but it can be modified or reduced by implementing prevention and mitigation measures on exposed elements.” The risk‑management strategy focuses on seismically‑resistant construction, drills, emergency plans and other preparedness measures, aiming to reduce the potential economic and social impacts of future earthquakes.

With information from El Colombiano.