EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY IN COLOMBIA

FMSI and the Norandina Province stand with the affected communities

A violent magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia and the Chocó department: the tremor on August 10, 2026, lasting 4 minutes, caused severe damage. The toll, updated as of August 13, stands at over 260 dead, thousands injured and missing, and more than 11,000 homes destroyed. The epicenter — the point on the surface directly above the rupture — was located east of the municipality of San José del Palmar, but the quake was also felt in Bogotá, Cali, Pereira, Manizales, Medellín and even in Ecuador and Panama. 

The Marist Brothers’ communities and works of the Norandina Province — in the areas of Armenia, Pereira, Manizales, Cali, Cartagena and Popayán — are living through the first, difficult hours after the earthquake. While the news on the human side is for now reassuring, many families have lost everything and are now facing immediate and urgent needs. 

FMSI, together with the Norandina Province, is launching a fundraising campaign to support the distribution of essential goods — food, water, blankets, hygiene products — to displaced people and families in need in the hardest-hit areas. 

Every contribution, however small, makes a difference for those who right now need everything. 

Donate now and support the communities affected by the earthquake in Colombia.