Doctors of the World mobilises after Colombia Earthquake

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time (1:34 p.m. UK time) on Monday 10 August. According to Colombia’s Geological Service, it is the strongest earthquake to hit the country in a decade. The tremor was felt across more than 403 municipalities, and 30 cities, including Bogotá, as well as in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.

Colombia’s government has declared a state of emergency. Our medical teams have been mobilised, and are responding now.

As of August 12th, official reports state at least 329 people have died and almost 4,600 have been injured so far; these figures are expected to rise as assessments continue and communication is restored with cut-off municipalities. As the crisis expands, far beyond its epicentre in San Jose del Palmar, the numbers of missing persons has hit 247 and affected families surpass 154,014, according to the National Disaster Risk Management Unit’s assessment.

The earthquake’s epicentre lies in San Jose Del Palmar, Choco. This region remains one of the most severely affected and among the most challenging to assess, with a long history of recurrent issues across their population, healthcare system and natural landscape. The earthquake has destoyed hundreds of homes, roads, and civilian infrastructure, as well as causing damage to 7 health facilities. Communication outtages and logistical constaints in isolated regions means understanding the scale of the crisis, and reaching impacted families, is highly difficult.

In Choco, healthcare has long been under strain; prolonged underinvestment, and shortages in resources, staffing and medicine means access to health is consistently precarious for communities living there. After the earthquake struck, authorities reported damage to numerous health facilities in the most affected departments, while Quibdó’s main hospital, San Francisco de Asís, lacks both the capacity and supplies required to manage the growing number of patients. Local health authorities are therefore calling for additional medical personnel, medicines, and equipment to sustain essential services and respond to urgent needs.  

Doctors of the World’s Emergency Response

Doctors of the World has an operational presence in Chocó, Cauca, Nariño and Antioquia, alongside an Emergency Rapid Response Team that can deploy anywhere in the country. All our staff in Colombia are safe.

Rapid assessments conducted since the onset of the emergency have confirmed substantial humanitarian and health needs, particularly where local response capacities are insufficient to address the scale and complexity of the crisis. We’ve already mobilised four teams; two deployed directly to Choco and two through the Rapid Response Mechanism operating in Pereira and Buenaventura. From 13th August, medical teams began supporting both immediate lifesaving and ongoing assessments. Our team in Quibdó, close to the epicentre, is already on the ground, reporting a sinkhole, people trapped inside buildings, and patients being transferred to neighbouring Antioquia as hospital capacity is stretched to its limit. 

Beyond emergency aid, priority needs include mental health and psychosocial support, sexual and reproductive health services, access to medicines and medical supplies, safe drinking water and sanitation, and protection assistance for vulnerable populations affected by displacement, loss of livelihoods, and the destruction of their homes. 

“Our priority today is to assess the needs of the people affected by the earthquake and to provide a medical response as quickly as possible,” says Elise Lesieur, Director of International Operations at Doctors of the World. “Our team close to the epicentre in Quibdó is already mobilised and is reporting serious damage. It’s still too early to have full figures, but we expect a substantial number of injured.” 

To deliver this emergency response in the identified priority areas, an emergency appeal has been launched. The funds generated will support deployment and operation of mobile medical and psychosocial teams, the reinforcement of affected health facilities, and the procurement and distribution of essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment.

Doctors of the World has worked alongside Colombian communities since 1987, supporting people affected by conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises.