Colombia Earthquake: Thousands Need Emergency Aid as Save the Children Responds

BOGOTÁ (August 12, 2026)—Thousands of families in earthquake-devastated Colombia have had their homes damaged or destroyed, with children and families urgently in need of drinking water, food, and emergency shelter, Save the Children said. 

Colombia has declared a national emergency following the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the western part of the country on Monday and killed at least 224 people and damaged or destroyed about 9,521 homes.^[1]  

Isabel* works for Save the Children in Cali and is one of the organization’s staff whose home was damaged. 

Isabel* said, “I feel powerless, frustrated, and very sad because the efforts of my entire family over many years vanished in a moment. However, we have been staying strong by being together and facing the situation."  

In Buenaventura, a city in one of the most-affected regions, Save the Children will be providing children and families with shelter and hygiene kits, drinking water and water filters, primary health care, and food.  

Save the Children also started establishing safe spaces in Buenaventura where children can play, access psychosocial support and other protection services. The aid agency is closely monitoring needs in Cali and Chocó, two other highly impacted areas where Save the Children is ready to scale up its response.  

The needs of children and families are likely to continue to grow, with dozens of health facilities affected by the earthquake, including a major hospital in the city of Cali which was severely damaged. Almost 800 education centers have also been affected, disrupting learning and leaving children in need of safe spaces, education support and psychosocial care. Children will need mental health support to cope with the shock and trauma caused by the earthquake.  

María Mercedes Liévano, Save the Children’s Country Director in Colombia said: 
“Thousands of homes have been damaged or entirely reduced to rubble, and schools, community centers and hospitals – the places children rely on to feel safe – have been damaged. For thousands of children, their whole world and sense of safety have been ripped away. 

"The stories our staff are hearing from affected communities are deeply distressing. Families have fled damaged homes with nothing, parents are struggling to find safe places for their children to sleep, and children are facing the trauma of losing loved ones, homes and a sense of security. Our immediate concern is for the safety and wellbeing of children, especially those who have been injured or separated from their families.  

“In the days ahead, children urgently need emergency shelter, safe drinking water, food, mental health support and healthcare. An earthquake upends children’s lives in a matter of minutes, but we need to ensure that children are at the center of the humanitarian response so that its effects on the children of Colombia are not permanent.” 

Save the Children has worked in Colombia for 40 years, working in the regions most affected by natural disasters, armed conflict, violence, poverty, climate change, and mixed migration.  

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Notes: 
[1] According to UNOCHA, the earthquake damaged 8,385 homes and destroyed 1,136 others  https://reliefweb.int/report/colombia/colombia-flash-update-003-actualizacion-afectaciones-por-terremoto-en-13-departamentos-de-colombia-11-agosto-de-2026  

*Name changed to protect privacy