The Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (UNGRD, National Disaster Risk Management Unit) reported at least 273 people dead, 3,824 injured and 377 missing as of August 13, 2026, three days after a magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck the department of Chocó near San José del Palmar, according to agency director David Santiago Tamayo. The quake and its aftershocks damaged infrastructure across Chocó, Risaralda, Caldas and Valle del Cauca, affecting roughly 40,750 families. Collective Mining Ltd. (NASDAQ: CNL) (TSX: CNL), whose Guayabales and San Antonio gold, silver, copper and tungsten exploration projects lie roughly 100 kilometers from the epicenter, said none of its personnel were injured and none of its assets were damaged.

Rather than limit its response to its own project sites, the company said it is directing humanitarian support toward Manizales, the Caldas department capital about 80 kilometers from its Supía, Caldas operations, where it already has partnerships with local organizations. Collective Mining said it has been coordinating directly with municipal authorities, local fire departments and business associations to determine where that support is needed most.

On technical matters, the company will work with the Alcaldía de Manizales (Mayor’s Office of Manizales). Its monetary and in-kind contributions will flow through four organizations already active in the recovery: the Asociación Nacional de Empresarios de Colombia (National Business Association of Colombia, or ANDI), which is coordinating reconstruction planning in the hardest-hit areas; the Caldas chapter of the Cruz Roja Colombiana (Colombian Red Cross) and ProCaldas, a public-private development alliance, both focused on health infrastructure; and the Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia (National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia), which is targeting local school infrastructure.

Collective Mining traces its roots to Continental Gold Inc., the company that developed Colombia’s Buriticá gold mine before Zijin Mining Group (HKEX: 2899) (SSE: 601899) bought it in an all-cash deal valued at $1.4 billion CAD in enterprise value, a transaction that closed in March 2020. The same management group — now led by Executive Chairman Ari Sussman and President Omar Ossma, who served as Continental Gold’s legal vice president — regrouped around Continental Gold’s old playbook, exploring for gold, silver, copper and tungsten at Guayabales and San Antonio, two adjacent Caldas properties inside a district that already hosts 10 permitted, operating mines. Guayabales’ Apollo system, a large gold-silver-copper-tungsten discovery, is the company’s primary exploration target; recent drilling there has centered on extending the high-grade Ramp Zone and testing a newly exposed oxidized zone to the north.

“In moments like this, a coordinated response is essential to effectively reach affected communities. The support of organizations such as Collective Mining strengthens our ability to address immediate needs and support the recovery efforts underway in Manizales,” said Darío Gómez, president of the board of the Cruz Roja Colombiana’s Caldas chapter. “We appreciate their commitment to working alongside local institutions and organizations as the situation continues to evolve.”

“The safety and wellbeing of our people and communities is our first priority. I have been on the ground in Colombia working directly with our team and local stakeholders to lead our response and understand where assistance is most needed,” said Ossma. “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the earthquake. We are mobilizing support through organizations that are positioned to direct assistance where it can have the greatest impact. We will continue to support our employees, their families and the broader community as recovery efforts progress.”

Management, insiders, a strategic investor and family and friends of the founding team own 45.2% of Collective Mining’s outstanding shares, according to the company.

Headline photo: Manizales skyline (Pixabay)

Colombia’s earthquake death toll had reached at least 273, with 3,824 injured and 377 missing, according to an August 13, 2026, update from the country’s Unidad Nacional para la Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (National Disaster Risk Management Unit), three days after a magnitude-7.4 quake struck the department of Chocó near San José del Palmar. Samaritan’s Purse, a Boone, North Carolina-based disaster relief organization, dispatched a Boeing 767 cargo plane from Greensboro, North Carolina, before dawn Thursday carrying more than 48 tons of relief supplies for survivors.

The aircraft’s cargo included hygiene kits, solar lights and shelter materials, aimed at families left without safe housing. The earthquake destroyed thousands of homes and damaged tens of thousands more, according to the disaster risk management unit, which has recorded 12,584 homes destroyed and 74,873 damaged nationwide as of August 13, along with widespread damage to schools, health centers and roads. Samaritan’s Purse said its teams on the ground, working through local churches, would begin distributing the supplies to affected communities as quickly as possible.

The earthquake and its aftershocks caused significant damage in Pereira, Manizales, Cali and Quibdó, the capital of Chocó department. Search-and-rescue crews continue working through collapsed buildings as the Colombian government coordinates additional international assistance, and Samaritan’s Purse said the death and injury figures are expected to keep rising as the response continues.

“Although we don’t know the full extent of the destruction in Colombia yet, so many families are in need of immediate assistance,” said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse.

Samaritan’s Purse operates in more than 100 countries and says it provides aid to people affected by war, disaster, disease, poverty and famine. It already had a presence in Colombia before this week’s earthquake: in June 2026, the organization dispatched a team from its Colombia country office to respond to a separate pair of earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela. Those existing field offices, the organization said, will support distribution of the newly arrived supplies across the earthquake-affected region.

Headline photo: Samaritan’s Purse staff load pallets of relief supplies onto a cargo aircraft bound for Colombia. (Photo courtesy Samaritan’s Purse)

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, with an epicenter about 3 miles (5 kilometers) east of San José del Palmar in the department of Chocó, roughly 150 miles (241 kilometers) from Bogotá, according to the US Geological Survey and Colombia’s Servicio Geológico Colombiano (Colombian Geological Survey). The quake originated at a depth of more than 100 kilometers, classifying it as a deep intraslab event tied to the Nazca Plate’s subduction beneath the South American Plate. Tremors were felt as far away as Panama, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru.

As of August 12, Colombian authorities had confirmed more than 188 deaths, over 1,600 injuries, 222 people missing, and 260 people still trapped in debris, according to the Unidad Nacional de Gestión del Riesgo de Desastres (National Disaster Risk Management Unit, UNGRD) and figures reported by El Tiempo; earlier tallies from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) put damaged homes at close to 5,000, with 61 buildings collapsed and more than 550 schools and 24 health facilities affected across roughly 16 departments. Chocó, Valle del Cauca, Caldas, Risaralda, and Quindío sustained the heaviest damage. President Abelardo De La Espriella declared a national disaster, invoked an economic emergency, and decreed three days of national mourning.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry, the Cancillería, installed an international cooperation command post led by Foreign Minister Omar Bula to field and coordinate offers of assistance from foreign governments and multilateral organizations. Vice President José Manuel Restrepo said more than 12 countries had formally pledged humanitarian aid or rescue personnel, and that multilateral institutions alone had presented cooperation proposals totaling $1.3 billion USD in assistance of various kinds. “We have already received proposals worth $1.3 billion USD in cooperation of various kinds from multilateral organizations in the midst of this tragedy,” Restrepo said.

“We have already received proposals worth $1.3 billion USD in cooperation of various kinds from multilateral organizations in the midst of this tragedy.” — José Manuel Restrepo, Vice President of Colombia

United States

The US Department of State said it mobilized an initial $15.5 million USD in emergency shelter, food, and protection assistance, along with post-earthquake structural assessments, according to an August 11 media note from the department’s Office of the Spokesperson. The funding is being channeled through five partner organizations: Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Miyamoto International, the UN World Food Programme, and World Vision. Of the total, $3 million USD routed through CRS draws on funding already committed under a separate, previously announced global assistance award to that organization, meaning it does not represent new incremental spending beyond what State had already budgeted for CRS programming.

The department also activated a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), a standing mechanism of humanitarian specialists drawn from across the State Department, with members arriving in Colombia the day of the earthquake to coordinate needs assessments and the broader US government response alongside embassy personnel in Bogotá.

Separately from the new $15.5 million USD package, the State Department noted that as part of its existing $3.8 billion USD contribution to OCHA, the United States had previously provided $200 million USD to the Colombia Pooled Fund, a standing mechanism OCHA can draw on for earthquake-related needs as well as humanitarian programming in Colombia that predates the earthquake. That $200 million USD figure reflects prior funding availability rather than a new pledge tied specifically to the August 10 disaster.

On consular matters, the US Embassy in Bogotá remained open and continued providing emergency and routine passport, notarial, and consular services; its consular agency in Barranquilla also remained open. The embassy advised American citizens in Colombia to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov and to follow [@USEmbassyBogota](profile/USEmbassyBogota) and [@TravelGov](profile/TravelGov) on social media for security updates. US citizens seeking assistance can reach the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 888-407-4747 from within the United States, or +1-202-501-4444 from other locations.

Multilateral development banks

The World Bank disposed $200,000 USD in a non-reimbursable grant, without an associated credit line, to fund post-earthquake damage assessments. Susana Cordeiro Guerra, the World Bank’s vice president for Latin America and the Caribbean, offered technical expertise drawn from the institution’s experience responding to disasters elsewhere, in addition to the grant.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) approved $500,000 USD in non-reimbursable technical cooperation funding, of which $350,000 USD was made immediately available to the Colombian Red Cross and $150,000 USD earmarked for technical support, Restrepo said. Separately, IDB Group President Ilan Goldfajn said the institution has up to $300 million USD in contingent emergency financing available to Colombia should the government request it; wire reports including CNBC and CBC cited a related figure of $50 million USD as immediately available for reconstruction support, reflecting different tranches or reporting of the same contingent facility.

CAF, the Banco de Desarrollo de América Latina y el Caribe (Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean), pledged $500,000 USD in humanitarian donations to be channeled through its Social and Human Development Funds, CAF executive president Sergio Díaz-Granados said.

European Union

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced €2.1 million EUR in humanitarian funding for health, water, sanitation and hygiene, shelter, food, protection, and cash assistance in the hardest-hit areas, according to the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department (ECHO). The European Union activated its Civil Protection Mechanism, which pools resources among the bloc’s 27 member states, and deployed its Copernicus satellite mapping service to support damage assessment. A further €100,000 EUR was reallocated from an existing EU-funded project implemented by the German Red Cross to meet immediate needs of roughly 2,500 families in Chocó and Valle del Cauca.

Switzerland

The Swiss government approved 1 million CHF (about $1.23 million USD) in aid, with half directed to the UN World Food Programme and local nongovernmental organizations for emergency assistance and the remainder allocated to restoring living conditions in destroyed areas, according to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Swiss President Guy Parmelin offered solidarity with Colombia the day of the earthquake.

Spain

Spain’s Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (Spanish Agency for International Cooperation for Development, AECID) mobilized an initial €1 million EUR package covering shelter materials, water and sanitation kits, medication, and support for deployed health personnel, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said. Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported no confirmed Spanish fatalities as of August 12, though it had not yet located 75 Spanish nationals believed to have been in the affected region.

El Salvador

El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, dispatched two aircraft carrying 100 tons of humanitarian aid along with medical and rescue teams, according to the Presidencia de la República de El Salvador (Presidency of the Republic of El Salvador).

Ecuador

Ecuador’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility) sent 47 rescuers with canine units and equipment provisioned for seven days of operations.

Mexico

Mexico deployed 255 specialized military search-and-rescue personnel, including canine handlers and medical staff, along with 4 tons of medications, 8.4 tons of food, satellite phones, radios, generators, and tents, according to Mexico’s Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Peru

Peru sent a plane carrying 12.5 tons of supplies and 62 rescuers through its Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Chile

Chilean President José Antonio Kast offered his government’s civil and technical resources through Chile’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), without publicly specifying the scope.

Venezuela

Venezuela’s government, through Vice President and Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez and the Ministerio del Poder Popular para Relaciones Exteriores (Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs), said it would send rescue brigades, an announcement that drew domestic criticism within Colombia given the state of bilateral relations.

Brazil

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva pledged solidarity and said logistical and technical teams were on standby through Brazil’s Ministério das Relações Exteriores (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Argentina

Argentina’s Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Internacional y Culto (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship) offered material assistance, civil protection assets, and logistics support.

Additional Latin American and Caribbean support

Several other countries in the region conveyed solidarity or more limited offers of support:

• Panama — President José Raúl Mulino offered collaboration “within our capacity” through the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Panamá (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama).
• Costa Rica — The government conveyed solidarity through its Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship).
• Dominican Republic — President Luis Abinader said his country stood ready to provide assistance, coordinated through the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de República Dominicana (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic).
• Guatemala — The disaster-response agency, the Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres (National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction, Conred), remained in contact with Colombian counterparts to determine whether a formal request for assistance would follow, President Bernardo Arévalo de León’s government said.
• Cuba — Expressed willingness to help without publicly detailing specific commitments.
• Bolivia — Expressed willingness to help without publicly detailing specific commitments.

Other countries

Vice President Restrepo named Japan, Sweden, and Turkey among the more than 12 governments that formally offered humanitarian aid or rescue support, though itemized figures for their pledges were not publicly available as of this writing. Israel, France, Germany, Italy, and Ukraine also expressed readiness to coordinate assistance, according to Colombian media reporting, without confirmed dollar figures attached to those offers.

Red Cross and Red Crescent movement

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched an emergency appeal for 11.7 million CHF to support the Colombian Red Cross, which activated its National Crisis Room and deployed a 30-member urban search-and-rescue team from its Antioquia branch to Chocó, alongside volunteers from its Quindío and Caldas branches. The Colombian Red Cross also activated its Restoring Family Links service to help reunite people separated from missing relatives.

Private sector

Among corporate contributions, Spanish bank BBVA (BME: BBVA) (NYSE: BBVA) said it would provide 3,500 food and hygiene kits, including nonperishable staples and personal care items, distributed through Colombia’s regional food bank network.

How to contribute

Colombian donors and members of the international community seeking a vetted local channel for contributions can direct support through somosone.com.co, the Colombian strategic-philanthropy platform operated by ONE Inversión Social. The organization has partnered with Sankofa Danzafro, La Pascasia, and Presentes Corporación on a Chocó-focused relief campaign, with a donation page linked from the platform’s homepage.

The hope is that we will see another decline for January. There will, however, be concerns. Firstly, there will be concern over the impact of the 12% minimum wage increase and the products indexed to that rise.

Second comes the impact that El Niño will have on energy demand and prices in the hottest regions of the country. On the coast, electricity prices are already 30% higher than a year ago.

Regardless of the inflation rate, it won’t impact Banco de la República as February is a non-decision meeting. Consider a nonsensically positive situation where inflation dropped to 7% in January. (I am exaggerating a point to make a point.) Rates will regardless remain at 12.75% until the end of March when the central bank has its next rate-decision meeting.

El Niño has taken a few days off with some most welcome rain and cooler weather. But worry not, you sun worshipers, as  IDEAM Colombia continues to point to an even hotter month in February. Thus far, despite the numerous forest fires, Colombia has been fortunate to avoid the tragic level of deaths seen recently in central Chile where fires continue to rage.

The other main macro number from National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) this week will exports for December. These numbers have been volatile — but generally lower during 2023. November saw a 9% decline due to a 19.5% decrease in commodity exports. It hard to see a more positive situation this time around, although bit by bit the comparable are getting easier.

In political news, María Corina Machado is making press once again. Amid global street protests there is word that the United States will ask Colombia to mediate with Venezuelan head of state Nicolas Maduro over the lifting of the ban on her running at the Venezuelan elections.

This is a key, key moment. It’s a massive ask given the threat that Machado is to Maduro’s presidency. But, if Colombian President Gustavo Petro could pull off a compromise of some sort, it would be a feather in his credibility cap.

In terms of the markets, COLCAP has started 2024 well (it is, after all, as cheap as hell), and the Colombian oeso remains stable at this 3,900 pesos to $1 USD level and we continue to watch of as the Gilinskis and GEA continue the swap of shares in Grupo Sura, Grupo Argos, and Nutresa.

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Five of the victims belonged to the same family, according to local newspaper El Tiempo.

The earth was dislodged by heavy rains in this mountainous area within Caldas, the same department where 17 were killed last year in the capital of Manizales.

At least 29 people were reportedly rescued by local community members and first responders in the affected neighborhood of Los Andes, according to the Bogotá-based National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD).

Colombian Vice President Martha Lucía Ramírez visited the area to show the government’s support for the victims of the natural disaster.

(Photo credit: UNGRD)

The rain and weather have led to the collapse of at least 14 houses, said the office of the president, but no deaths, significant injuries, or missing people have been reported.

The National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) stated this morning that more than 20,000 people have been evacuated, while some local media reports published throughout the day have put he figure at more than 30,000.

In addition to the houses that have been destroyed, a bridge has collapsed and the sewage system has been damaged in multiple neighborhoods.

Areas in the departments of Vichada and Guainía have also been hit with severe flooding. Nearly 10,000 people and 200 homes have been affected in Vichada in addition to other infrastructure damage, according to the UNGRD.

The agency has already spent more than $500,000 USD in response efforts, which have included setting up hundreds of tent shelters and handing out thousands of kits including food, personal essentials, and blankets.

To address the crisis in Putumayo, President Iván Duque coordinated the response with the mayor of Mocoa this morning and sent a team of emergency officials who have arranged for tanker trucks to help provide potable water to the affected population.

Duque said that he will travel to Mocoa and other affected areas on Tuesday.

“Fortunately, there are no deaths,” said Duque in a statement, adding that this is “a situation that we must address with all of our determination.”

While the river level in the area around Mocoa has reportedly gone down, officials have warned that more rainfall has been forecasted. Local residents are advised to heed further warnings and follow the instructions of officials.

More than half of the total, or about $2.3 million USD, will fund the construction of a new administrative center for Mocoa. Rivera said the plan will give the capital a modern building that will help citizens spend less time waiting for officials to complete various procedures and document processing.

Rivera added that this site will also be used to further coordinate and administer the ongoing reconstruction efforts in Mocoa to rebuild from the disaster.

Another $1 million USD will go toward video surveillance as part of Colombia’s wider “Live Safe, Live in Peace” program. The monitoring is an attempt to improve public safety and alleviate the fears that some residents have in the capital, said Rivera in a statement.

Additionally, around $300,000 USD will be used to create a “Citizen Integration Center” (CIC) in neighborhood of José Homero that will be the staging ground for the implementation of various peace process protocols and reintegration efforts.

The disaster recovery and rebuilding plans in Mocoa are close to home for Rivera, a Putumayo native who was appointed to the head of the ministry last month following the resignation of Juan Fernando Cristo. The investments announced today, said Rivera, will help the community act “with integrity and opportunity in the reconstruction of Mocoa.”

Photo: Minister of the Interior Guillermo Rivera Flórez announces new investments for Mocoa. (Credit: MinInterior)

The honor was handed out in early May at the publication’s fifth annual Latin America Insurance and Reinsurance Awards, which seek to highlight the best of the risk management and risk transfer solutions that the global industry is providing in the region.

“As a region, Latin America continues to draw the attention of the global (re)insurance industry and competition is increasingly intense,” said Christopher Munro, managing editor at Reactions. “The service provider sector is no different, but in the end, it was clear our judges felt that RMS was the standout performer.”

In February, regulators in the country approved RMS’ Colombian earthquake model, allowing insurance companies operating in the high-risk nation to begin using it while determining their probable maximum loss and average annual loss as well as in managing their capital reserves, according to RMS.

“The award is a testament to the market’s appetite for our risk models, analytics, and insight,” said Victor Roldán, regional head for Latin America at RMS. “Our commitment to the region has never been stronger. In the past year, we delivered a wealth of new risk modeling capability and insight to help our clients protect and expand their business, including the latest RMS Mexico earthquake model and the RMS North Atlantic hurricane models released in April.”

Roldán added that the company is also planning to release a new model for Mexico’s Pacific coast hurricane risk in 2018 and further push for wider adoption of its “Risk Modeler” solution within the region.

Photo credit: RMS

The town of Bagadó was hard hit, with some 60% of the town suffering damage and floodwaters reportedly reaching more than meter high in some sections of town. Other Chocó municipalities Cértegui, Lloró, and Nuquí also experienced significant flooding.

The National Unit for the Management of Disaster Risk (UNGRD) took action to coordinate the federal response. Personnel and machinery was deployed by the agency, particularly to help manage the overflow of the Atrato River. Many of those whose homes suffered damages are being given rent subsidies that will help provide alternative lodging for up to three months, according to the UNGRD.

Along with oversight from UNGRD head Carlos Iván Márquez Pérez, authorities in Chocó also established a local disaster risk management office, where all emergencies in the department will now be handled first hand.

The tragedy in Chocó marks another fatal disaster during the ongoing period of torrential rains that have been falling in Colombia this month. In the deadliest catastrophe to hit Colombia in decades, more than 300 were killed in the Putumayo capital of Mocoa in early April from mudslides after multiple rivers broker their banks. A rain-induced landslide also killed at least 16 people in Manizales this week.

The Atrato River and is tributaries both remained on alert for potential flooding late on Friday. Multiple other areas of the country near waterways have also received warnings in recent weeks.

Photo credit: UNGRD

At least seven others also remained missing late on Wednesday following a landslide that affected more than 500 families and 80 homes across 16 primarily lower-class neighborhoods, according to Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD). Rescue workers were continuing the search late into the evening in hope of finding more survivors, said officials.

The head of UNGRD, Carlos Iván Márquez Pérez, was among those who traveled to the capital of the Caldas department along with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos today to show their support for the victims and help coordinate the catastrophe response. Emergency aid was quickly dispersed to the affected families, and rent subsidies were offered to anyone who lost their homes, according to UNGRD.

Mattresses and cleaning kits were also distributed to those in need, and the national government said it has transferred funds to the mayor’s office of Manizales so that priority assistance could be given to victims immediately. The Colombian Red Cross, with more than 60 personnel on the scene, was also among the various agencies that helped to ensure the aid reached the people seeking help.

“I want to tell the people of Manizales that we are here with them,” said Santos. “We will always be here … Our hearts are with the families of the victims.”

The mayor of Manizales, per a BBC report, said that a month’s worth of rain fell overnight, causing the earth to collapse and destroy dozens of homes in quick succession in the Andean city whose metro area is home to more than half a million people.

Heavy rains have continued to bear down on many areas throughout the country for weeks, leading to red alerts being issued by public officials to warn those who may be in harm’s way. The risk of mudslides and flooding remains high in various locations given the high volume of water traveling throughout the country’s rivers.

After multiple rivers breached their banks in the Amazonian department of Putumayo on April 1, the resulting “avalanche” of water killed more than 300 people in Mocoa. It was the deadliest natural disaster to hit Colombia in decades.

Photo credit: Presidencia de la República