AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Earthquake in Chocó: Church community comes to the aid of displaced people. Bishops: “Recognize ourselves as one family”

Bogotá (Fides News Agency) – A devastating magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on the morning of Monday, August 10, 2026, with its epicenter identified in the municipality of San José del Palmar, in the department of Chocó. According to still-partial official data provided by local authorities, the violent quake has left at least 111 people dead and more than 80 injured, while several people remain missing. Thousands of homes have been damaged, with serious structural damage reported to civilian buildings, infrastructure and places of worship in the regions of Manizales, Pereira and Cali.
In the face of this national tragedy, the Colombian Episcopal Conference (CEC) expressed its closeness and solidarity with all the affected communities. In a message entitled “Message to the Colombian People on the occasion of the earthquake of August 10, 2026,” signed by the members of the CEC Presidency (President Francisco Javier Múnera Correa, IMC, Archbishop of Cartagena; Vice President Gabriel Ángel Villa Vahos, Archbishop of Tunja; and Germán Medina Acosta, Bishop of Engativá and Secretary General), the bishops open their reflection by quoting Scripture: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble” (Psalm 46:1).
In their heartfelt appeal, the bishops of the Episcopal Conference Presidency stress that the scale of the emergency requires an immediate joint response: “This painful moment reminds us that no one can face an emergency of this magnitude alone. Colombia is called, once again, to recognize itself as one family and to respond to the suffering of its brothers and sisters with generosity, responsibility and solidarity.”

In addition to commending to God the souls of the deceased, the recovery of the injured and the fate of those still missing, the bishops expressed their profound gratitude to rescue workers, healthcare personnel, volunteers and law enforcement officers involved in the rescue operations. “To all those involved, our prayer, our closeness and our solidarity,” the Episcopal Presidency concludes in its statement.

In the ecclesiastical jurisdictions hardest hit, the Pastors immediately placed themselves at the service of the population. In the Archdiocese of Manizales, Archbishop José Miguel Gómez referred to the serious damage suffered by homes, buildings and places of worship, calling for “no person to be left without assistance in these difficult moments.”

In the Diocese of Pereira, Bishop Nelson Jair Cardona Ramírez called on the clergy and religious sisters to support displaced people, confirming that the Church community is working with civil authorities to act “as one team at the service of the brothers and sisters who are suffering the most.”
In Cali, Archbishop Luis Fernando Rodríguez Velásquez reported damage to historic buildings, including St. Peter the Apostle Cathedral and La Merced Church, urging everyone to “unite, walk together and work together” for reconstruction.
The Church’s charitable response was swiftly activated: the Secretariat of Social Pastoral – Cáritas Colombiana launched its National Emergency Service to raise funds, while the Food Bank network in Bogotá, Pereira and Buenaventura is coordinating the delivery and distribution of food, drinking water and essential supplies to shelters and hospitals.
(MLK) (Fides News Agency, 11/8/2026)

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