Churches Across Colombia Mobilize After 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, 2026, centered near San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó. The quake, described as the strongest to hit Colombia in a century, caused hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and the destruction of more than 1,100 homes across cities including Cali, Pereira, Manizales, and Buenaventura.

Churches from multiple denominations moved quickly to provide relief.

Church of the Nazarene congregations in Cali and the Southwestern District organized food distribution for emergency workers and displaced families within days of the disaster. Three Nazarene church buildings and several pastoral homes were destroyed in the quake, but local congregations still served as collection points for supplies. Nazarene Compassionate Ministries coordinated emergency projects to deliver hygiene kits, sleeping mats, and temporary shelter to hundreds of families.

Send Relief, the humanitarian arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, deployed Disaster Assistance Response Teams to Cali and Pereira. Those teams worked alongside local churches and International Mission Board partners to distribute urgent supplies and scale up community-level response efforts.

Catholic Relief Services supported the Caritas Colombia network, which operates through dioceses and parishes across the country. Caritas teams focused on delivering shelter materials, clean water, and medical care to the hardest-hit areas.

Independent congregations also joined the response. Groups like Palabra Pura in Pereira and the Legendarios organization cooked meals for displaced residents and helped organize shelters in community centers.

Faith communities in the United States have continued to call for prayer and financial support to assist in long-term rebuilding efforts.