Colombia earthquake: Donate to help survivors

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, killing at least 281 people and injuring nearly 4,000, with the epicenter in the department of Chocó.

Our teams in Colombia are reporting damage to infrastructure—including hospitals and clinics—along with life-threatening gaps in access to health care, shelter and basic needs.

The IRC is on the ground in Colombia, working with local partners to meet the needs of communities affected by the earthquake. Our teams are providing integrated education, child protection, health and mental health, cash assistance and protection services to help survivors recover and rebuild.

With additional funding, the IRC will be able to expand its protection and education response and distribute multipurpose cash grants to cover the emergency basic needs of affected families.

What you need to know about the earthquake in Colombia

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia on August 10, leaving at least 281 people dead and over nearly 4,000 injured. More than 12,000 homes have been damaged. The epicenter was in Chocó, the poorest region in the country. 

IRC field teams near the epicenter are reporting damage to hospitals and clinics, leaving communities without access to health care, shelter, and basic needs. Over 800 education centers have been affected, disrupting schooling and safety for over 200,000 children.

The earthquake comes on the heels of two powerful earthquakes in neighboring Venezuela earlier this summer, compounding humanitarian needs that were already severe across the region.

Earthquake worsens Colombia’s humanitarian crisis

Prior to the earthquake, over 10 million people in Colombia were projected to need humanitarian assistance. The country featured on the IRC's 2026 Emergency Watchlist, which identifies the crises most at risk of deterioration as escalating conflict continues to displace local communities, as well as many of the nearly 3 million Venezuelans that Colombia hosts.

Chocó, at the epicenter of the quake, is the poorest region in Colombia. The IRC is deeply concerned that this week’s natural disaster will make the needs on the ground even steeper as people lose access to health care and other essential services.

The IRC’s work in Colombia

The IRC has been delivering essential, lifesaving services to communities in Colombia since 2018, reaching nearly 450,000 people. 

Responding to the earthquake in Colombia

The IRC and our local partners are delivering critical support in communities affected by the earthquake. Our initial response includes services like:

• Education: The IRC is working to ensure children in affected communities have access to safe spaces and psychological support, alongside support for their teachers and parents. 
• Child protection: The IRC will provide case management and mental health support for children who have experienced trauma and violence. 
• Health: The IRC is donating essential medications and supplies to health centers facing surging demand with reduced capacity. 
• Mental health: The IRC will scale psychosocial support delivered via telemedicine to communities affected by the earthquake and ongoing aftershocks.
• Critical information: infopalante.org, an IRC digital helpdesk for people affected by disaster, is providing information on available services to communities navigating the crisis.

With additional funding, the IRC will be able to expand its protection and education response and distribute multipurpose cash assistance to cover the emergency basic needs of affected families. 

Our long-term work in Colombia

In 2025, the IRC reached more than 20,000 people in Colombia. Working with local partners, we provide services including:

• Health: The IRC operates its own health clinic in Colombia and collaborates with other health providers to deliver sexual and reproductive health care, including maternal and newborn care and clinical care for survivors of gender-based violence, primary care, and mental health services.
• Economic Recovery and Development: IRC Colombia implements the largest cash assistance program in the region, a key tool for food security and household stability. To promote economic integration, the IRC supports small businesses and helps people access formal employment.
• Education: The IRC promotes access, retention, and quality learning through play-based spaces for early childhood and technology-driven teaching practices. In addition, IRC piloted a digital learning approach to provide educational content to hard-to-reach children through online and offline mechanisms. IRC supports schools in setting up their safety plans, thereby reducing the impact of violence and disasters.
• Protection: The IRC provides case management for survivors of gender-based violence and neglect, as well as for children affected by violence. Most clients are identified by our health and education teams as part of our holistic response.
• Emergency Response: The IRC responded to the Catatumbo displacement crisis at the start of 2025, and the impact of heavy rainfall in 2026 in the south of the country, providing lifesaving health and protection services.

Donate now to help survivors

The IRC has worked alongside communities in Colombia since 2018 and stands ready to deploy an emergency response to meet the needs of people affected by this earthquake as needs become clearer. Your support helps the IRC deliver urgent health care, protection, and other essential services—in Colombia and to communities affected by crises around the world.

More about the IRC 

The International Rescue Committee has over 90 years of experience helping people affected by crisis in more than 40 countries to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. We also help refugees and displaced people resettle and integrate into new communities in the U.S. and across Europe.

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