Convoy of Hope Responds as Death Toll Rises Following Devastating Colombia Earthquake

SPRINGFIELD, MO (August 10, 2026) — Rescue workers in Colombia are relentlessly searching for survivors still trapped beneath wreckage and debris following the devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck. This was the second major earthquake event to hit South America in just two months.

The death toll has risen to at least 265 people, with at least 3,771 have been injured and nearly 500 reported missing. Hundreds of families are waiting for answers as rescue teams continue searching for their loved ones.

Convoy of Hope is providing families with nonperishable food items and clean drinking water. As tens of thousands of people remain displaced after evacuating their neighborhoods, Convoy is also delivering mattresses to help provide comfort and support to families forced from their homes. 

Convoy of Hope has been working for several years in Colombia with programs including Children’s Feeding, Women’s Empowerment and Agriculture Training. Because of that, Convoy had several team members already in Colombia during the earthquake. They were immediately able to begin Convoy’s response to the deadly quake.

“Countless families have lost their homes. Many Communities are without power, communication systems are down, and damaged roads are making it difficult for emergency teams to reach out to those in need,” said Sara Montenegro of Convoy of Hope Colombia. “Our Convoy team is working to get immediate relief to survivors of the earthquake and give them hope.”

Western Colombia is located along the “Ring of Fire,” the earthquake-prone region bordering the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake was the strongest the area had experienced in the past century, and authorities have declared a national disaster. Some heavily impacted communities, including Pereira and Cali, remain without power. Hospitals are overwhelmed after at least seven major health facilities were damaged. Three floors of the principal hospital in Cali collapsed, including its pediatric section. Medical workers and local residents united to save patients, forming a human chain to pull survivors from the rubble while critically ill patients were transferred to other hospital locations.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme has emphasized survivors’ urgent need for food in the critical days following the disaster.

Just as Convoy of Hope aided thousands of families following the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela two months ago, Convoy of Hope is now responding with urgent help for communities in Colombia.

As communities continue searching for signs of life and waiting for answers, this practical support from Convoy of Hope will help sustain families in the days ahead and serve as a much-needed source of hope.

(AP Photo/Santiago Saldarriaga)

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Convoy of Hope is a global, faith-based organization that serves vulnerable communities. By partnering with local churches, businesses, civic organizations, and government agencies, Convoy has strategically offered help and hope in more than 130 countries around the world. Since its founding in 1994, Convoy of Hope has served more than 350 million people.