Colombia's De la Espriella says 452,782 affected by earthquake

September 1, 2026 at 09:06 AM1 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Colombian President De la Espriella announced that 452,782 people across 497 municipalities in 16 departments were directly affected by the earthquake. He reported 331 deaths, 4,497 injuries, and 152 missing, while declaring the country has entered a reconstruction phase. Search and rescue operations will continue as long as needed.

Key Facts

452,782 people in 497 municipalities across 16 departments were directly affected by the earthquake.
331 people died, 4,497 were injured, and 152 remain missing.
35,987 homes were completely destroyed and 198,601 homes suffered severe or moderate damage.
4,261 schools, 404 hospitals, 121 water networks, 89 bridges, and 482 road points were damaged or rendered unusable.
Forest fires in Tolima burned over 50,000 hectares, including 28,000 hectares of agricultural and livestock land.

Earthquake Casualties and Damage

President De la Espriella announced the figures in a national address, stating that 452,782 Colombians from 213,400 families were directly affected. The earthquake caused 331 deaths, 4,497 injuries, and left 152 people missing. Infrastructure damage includes 35,987 completely destroyed homes and 198,601 homes with severe or moderate damage. National media reported that 4,261 schools, 404 hospitals, 121 water networks, 89 bridges, and 482 road points were damaged or unusable.

Tolima Forest Fires

President De la Espriella highlighted the ongoing environmental emergency in Tolima, where fires burned over 50,000 hectares. Approximately 28,000 hectares of the burned area were agricultural and livestock land. The president stated there are serious indications that most fires were deliberately set by criminal actors, and legal proceedings will be pursued.