The powerful earthquake that killed hundreds of people in western Colombia caused $9.57 billion in economic losses, President Abelardo de la Espriella said on Tuesday, issuing a preliminary estimate.

The 7.4-magnitude tremor, which struck on August 10, was the most powerful in Colombia in nearly half a century.

The death toll stands at 289, with a further 4,187 injured and 143 missing.

 

People on motorcycles pass in front of a destroyed building in the Medrano neighborhood of Quibdo, Choco department, Colombia, on August 15, 2026, days after a 7.4- magnitude earthquake. At least 287 people have died, thousands have been injured and about 379 remain unaccounted for, as the chances of finding earthquake survivors have dropped sharply since the critical 72-hour window passed, though volunteers and rescue crews continue digging through the rubble for any signs of life. (Photo by ESTEBAN VEGA LA-ROTTA / AFP)
People on motorcycles pass in front of a destroyed building in the Medrano neighborhood of Quibdo, Choco department, Colombia, on August 15, 2026, days after a 7.4- magnitude earthquake. At least 287 people have died, thousands have been injured and about 379 remain unaccounted for, as the chances of finding earthquake survivors have dropped sharply since the critical 72-hour window passed, though volunteers and rescue crews continue digging through the rubble for any signs of life. (Photo by ESTEBAN VEGA LA-ROTTA / AFP)

Nearly 27,000 homes were destroyed, leaving many people sleeping in the streets or in public parks.

Dozens of hospitals and schools also collapsed or were damaged.

"Imagine the scale of the disaster," said De la Espriella, a political novice who took office just three days before the disaster.

The crisis has been a baptism of fire for De la Espriella, a right-wing lawyer and business magnate who was elected on a promise to flush out the drug-trafficking rebels that control part of Colombia.

 

A person attends a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of the August 10 earthquake, in Cali, Colombia, August 17, 2026. REUTERS/Sergio Acero
A person attends a candlelight vigil in memory of the victims of the August 10 earthquake, in Cali, Colombia, August 17, 2026. REUTERS/Sergio Acero

He said Tuesday he had tasked his housing minister with launching a "miracle" reconstruction plan, with the backing of the private sector.

But the minister, Jaime Andres Beltran, has been under fire for taking a Caribbean holiday in the immediate aftermath of the quake.