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The town that survived the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia

2026-08-17 17:12:56Kosova&Bota SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

The town that survived the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia

Residents of Armenia, in western Colombia, faced one of the scariest moments of their lives when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the country in the early hours of the morning.

The tremors immediately brought back memories of the tragedy of 1999, when a 6.2-magnitude earthquake destroyed about 60 percent of the buildings in the Armenian city and caused nearly 1,000 deaths.

But this time the situation was completely different.

Thanks to the preparation and exercises regularly held in the city, residents reacted immediately. Some positioned themselves near beds, hoping that in the event of a collapse a protective space would be created, while others leaned against refrigerators.

After the shaking stopped, residents waited for the ambulance sirens. But they were almost inaudible.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter on the Pacific coast, caused numerous collapses in western Colombia, leaving at least 285 people dead and thousands injured.

Rescue teams continued searching the rubble, even as hopes of finding survivors were fading.

Meanwhile, Armenia, a city of about 300,000 people and just 69 kilometers from the epicenter, escaped a similar catastrophe. No buildings collapsed, no major rescue operations were needed and, most importantly, no casualties were recorded.

The contrast was stark with surrounding cities. Dozens of deaths were reported in Pereira and Manizales, while in Cali, which was further from the epicenter than Armenia, the death toll reached at least 95.

The three decisions that made the difference

Jahir Rodriguez, who in 1999 was the head of urban planning and disaster management in Armenia, told the Post newspaper that three decisions proved decisive in the new earthquake.

First, Armenia became one of the first cities in Colombia to conduct a detailed microzonal study, mapping block by block how the land responds to an earthquake.

Second, new construction was banned on loose soil, which could amplify seismic shaking.

And third, strict and up-to-date building codes were implemented.

Colombia's national earthquake code, last revised in 2010, has a clear goal: to prevent the collapse of buildings and protect human life. A small earthquake should not cause damage, while a very strong one can cause serious damage but not collapse.

The problem is not the laws, but their implementation: Buildings built… of mortar!
The big problem in Colombia, according to experts, is not the quality of earthquake-resistant regulations, but the degree to which they are implemented, especially in arbitrary and informal construction.


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