The earthquake struck Chocó and Valle del Cauca, where more than 1.2 million people already needed humanitarian assistance before the disaster.
More than 300,000 children face heightened risk of recruitment by armed groups as the disaster disrupts schooling and deepens poverty in regions already affected by conflict.
IRC and local partners are responding with mental health, education,and protection programming and providing up-to-date information on available services to communities navigating the crisis
Bogotá, Colombia, August 14, 2026 — As search and rescue efforts continue following the deadly earthquake in western Colombia, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) has launched a response to assist the most vulnerable communities, including children.
In Chocó and Valle del Cauca, more than 1.2 million people—more than 20% of the population—already needed humanitarian assistance before the earthquake struck, 26% of whom lived below the poverty line. The disaster has now destroyed thousands of homes and displaced families. More than 2000 schools have been damaged or destroyed, just as the academic year resumes, leaving at least 300,000 children at risk of recruitment by armed groups and criminal organizations..Some towns in Chocó are accessible only by boat or plane, while in Buenaventura, damaged roads and infrastructure are straining delivery of lifesaving aid.
"Children were fighting for a future even before this earthquake; now their schools and homes are destroyed and their safety is even further out of reach " said Nicole Kast, IRC Country Director for Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. "As needs escalate, investment must match the true severity of this moment for the communities struck by this disaster."
The IRC's response will focus on families affected by the devastation in the hardest-to-reach areas of Valle del Cauca. The response prioritizes the most vulnerable communities, including children affected by the earthquake's destruction and aftermath, people at risk of violence, and those unable to afford even their basic needs. The IRC is currently providing mental health, education, and protection programming in the affected areas, and plans to scale up health and cash assistance as the response continues. Infopalante.org — a local digital helpdesk for people in disaster and conflict — continues to provide up-to-date information on available services to earthquake-affected communities.
The IRC urges the international community to invest in scaling up aid and essential services to support Colombia's recovery, including sustained funding for interventions to provide education and protection people need to stay safe.
The IRC has been delivering essential, life‑saving services to communities in Colombia since 2018, reaching nearly 450,000 people with high-quality health care, violence response and prevention, cash assistance, livelihoods support, financial inclusion and education.
