Colombia earthquake death toll rises to 329

The death toll from the magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck western Colombia on August 10 has risen to 329, while 247 people remain missing, the country’s disaster risk management agency said.

“329 people have died, 4,600 have been injured, 247 are listed as missing, and 364 have been rescued,” the agency said in a statement published on X. More than 1,200 animals have also been rescued following the disaster.

The latest assessment by the authorities found that the earthquake destroyed more than 31,000 homes, while 171,273 buildings sustained damage, underscoring the scale of the destruction across affected areas.

The earthquake struck near San José del Palmar in the western department of Chocó. Authorities said the disaster affected 15 departments across Colombia.

The latest death toll represents an increase from the 319 fatalities reported previously.

Search-and-rescue and recovery efforts remain underway as authorities continue assessing the damage and accounting for those still missing.

By Tamilla Hasanova