Two Mexican citizens died during a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia on Aug. 10, 2026 [1], [2].
The deaths highlight the vulnerability of international travelers during sudden natural disasters and trigger diplomatic coordination between Mexico and Colombia to handle the repatriation of remains.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said that two Mexicans were among the deceased following the seismic event [3]. The victims, identified as Mario Alberto Zapata Verdier and Brenda Eloísa Flores Reyes, were located in Pereira, Risaralda, at the time of the quake [4], [5].
"I confirm that there are two Mexicans among the people who died in the 7.4 earthquake registered on August 10 in Colombia," Sheinbaum said [6].
The Mexican Foreign Ministry (SRE) is currently providing consular assistance to the families of the victims. According to a spokesperson for the ministry, the SRE is managing the repatriation of the two citizens who died [7].
Officials said the earthquake caused widespread damage across the affected regions of Colombia. The Mexican government continues to monitor the situation to ensure all other nationals in the area are safe, a standard protocol following high-magnitude events in foreign territories.
President Sheinbaum said that the fatalities occurred during the disaster that hit the region last week [8]. The SRE remains in direct contact with the relatives of Zapata Verdier and Flores Reyes to facilitate the legal and logistical requirements for returning the bodies to Mexico [9].
“Two Mexican citizens died during a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia.”
The coordination between the Mexican Foreign Ministry and Colombian authorities underscores the critical role of consular networks in disaster response. Because the victims were tourists in a high-risk seismic zone, the repatriation process involves complex international legal protocols to verify identities and transport remains across borders during a period of local infrastructure instability.
