On August 10, 2026, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, killing more than 132 people and injuring 570 more, with numbers still expected to rise. More than 1,889 buildings have been damaged nationally, including 24 educational facilities and 20 health facilities. The hardest-hit departments, Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, and Caldas, were already home to communities facing chronic poverty, armed conflict, and displacement before the earthquake struck. Landslides have disrupted road access in parts of Chocó, and continued aftershocks threaten further structural instability.
CARE has worked in Colombia since 1954 and is drawing on the operational capacity built through its response to the Venezuela crisis to move quickly in the areas most affected. Our teams are coordinating with national and local authorities and partnering with local and women-led organizations to deliver shelter materials, cash and voucher assistance, mental health and psychosocial support, and non-food items including hygiene kits, dignity kits, and CARE Packages for Emergencies. CARE is developing its response with a Gender in Emergencies lens from the outset, since women, girls, older persons, and people with disabilities face heightened risk of violence, exploitation, and family separation as they are displaced into shelters and collective sites.
CARE Colombia's initial funding target is $2 million for emergency response and early recovery. Flexible support allows CARE to move quickly to meet urgent needs, from shelter and cash assistance to hygiene kits and psychosocial support, so families can begin to recover. Stand with the people of Colombia. Donate here today.
