Colombia quake: 3 floors of major Cali hospital collapse as death toll tops 130 | Video

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, killing more than 130 people and injuring over 570 others as rescuers raced to reach people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

The earthquake struck shortly after 7:30 am local time, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar in the Pacific region of Chocó. Strong tremors were felt across large parts of Colombia, including Bogotá, as well as in neighbouring Ecuador and Venezuela.

Several cities reported major structural damage, with Cali among the worst affected areas. Officials warned that the death toll could rise as emergency teams continue searching damaged buildings.

Hospital partially collapses in Cali

One of the most serious incidents occurred at Hospital Universitario del Valle, a major healthcare facility in Cali.

Around 30 per cent of the hospital’s infrastructure was reportedly damaged, with three floors collapsing. The affected sections included pediatrics, internal medicine and parts of the neonatal unit.

Valle del Cauca Governor Dilian Francisca Toro said people were trapped inside the damaged hospital and that firefighters and army personnel were working to rescue them.

Emergency crews and civilian volunteers formed human chains to remove concrete and other debris from the collapsed sections.

Several people were rescued in the first hours of the operation, including four survivors pulled from the hospital rubble. However, continued aftershocks complicated the rescue effort and created additional risks for emergency workers.

Patients moved outside hospital

With parts of the hospital deemed unsafe, medical workers moved patients into temporary treatment areas set up in gardens and parking lots around the facility.

Patients were evacuated using beds and wheelchairs, while critically ill patients were transferred to other hospitals across the Valle del Cauca region.

The damage to the hospital placed additional pressure on a healthcare system already struggling to cope with the large number of people injured in the earthquake.

Cali hospitals overwhelmed

Cali authorities said at least seven major health facilities across the city sustained significant structural damage and were forced to close or suspend services.

The city placed its medical network on red alert as emergency departments reached full capacity.

Cali Mayor Alejandro Eder said the priority was to rescue people trapped under rubble while keeping essential medical services operational.

At least 30 buildings across Cali were reported to have suffered major structural collapses, with residential and commercial properties among those affected.

State of emergency declared

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella declared a national state of emergency to speed up the deployment of resources, emergency funding and military assistance.

The hardest-hit areas include Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Chocó.

“We aren’t going to leave people alone,” de la Espriella said in a televised address. “They are in our hearts, and we are going to tend to people with our full determination.”

The emergency declaration is expected to help authorities coordinate rescue operations and provide assistance to communities whose homes and essential infrastructure have been destroyed.

US announces $15.5 million aid

International assistance has also begun arriving as Colombia steps up its disaster response.

The United States announced $15.5 million in emergency humanitarian assistance for the earthquake response.

The funding is expected to support urban search-and-rescue operations, structural assessments and emergency medical facilities, particularly in areas where hospitals have been damaged or overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Colombian rescue teams, soldiers, firefighters and volunteers continued to search collapsed structures for survivors, with officials warning that the scale of the disaster could become clearer only as search operations progress.