Aerial footage captured Tuesday shows hundreds of destroyed buildings in Cali after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday [1, 2, 3].
The scale of the disaster highlights the vulnerability of urban infrastructure in the region and the immediate need for large-scale rescue operations in Colombia's third-largest city [1, 2].
The earthquake occurred Monday, Aug. 10, and lasted for more than one and a half minutes [1, 8]. It reached a depth of 107 km [1], making it the strongest seismic event to hit the country in the last decade [1, 5].
Drone images released this week depict a cityscape marked by rubble and collapsed structures. While reports on the scale of the damage vary, the BBC said that hundreds of buildings collapsed [1]. Other reports from El País said that at least 20 infrastructures were brought down [5].
Casualty figures also remain inconsistent as rescue efforts continue. The BBC said nearly 200 deaths [1], while El País said at least 110 deaths [5]. Colombian authorities have been monitoring the devastation across Cali, Manizales, and Pereira [6].
The intensity of the quake caused widespread panic across the region. The duration of the shaking, lasting over 90 seconds, contributed to the extensive structural failures seen in the aerial footage [1].
Emergency teams are currently working through the debris to locate survivors. The aerial perspectives provided by drones are being used by authorities to identify the hardest-hit sectors and coordinate the delivery of aid to trapped residents [2, 3].
“The strongest seismic event to hit the country in the last decade.”
The discrepancy in reported deaths and collapsed structures suggests that official tallies are still evolving as search-and-rescue teams reach isolated areas of Cali. Because this is the strongest quake in 10 years, the event will likely trigger a review of building codes and seismic resilience in Colombia's major urban centers.
