According to Fr. Paul Gbortsu, SVD, Superior Provincial of Colombia, two churches and a rectory at the SVD mission in Dagua, Valle del Cauca, suffered serious structural damage. The walls of El Verbo Divino Parish in Cali were also cracked, while the homes of parishioners and lay collaborators were affected in several communities.

“Thank God, there have been no deaths or injuries; all of our confreres are in good health,” Fr. Gbortsu said. However, he described the material damage as severe, particularly in Dagua, where some residents and members of the SVD mission community lost belongings and were unable to safely remain in their homes.

The earthquake also affected parishioners of Our Lady of Mercy Parish in Vigía del Fuerte, in the Antioquia region. Fr. Gbortsu said the Province has begun assisting those most affected and expressed gratitude for the solidarity already received.

The 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. local time on August 10, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in Chocó, at a depth of about 103–110 kilometers. Colombia’s Geological Service described it as the strongest earthquake recorded in the country in the 21st century.

As of August 20–21, Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) reported 319 deaths, 4,506 injuries and 260 people still missing. Some 282,709 people from 153,336 families have been affected across 15 regions and 476 municipalities. The disaster has destroyed 31,461 homes and damaged another 163,492, while hundreds of public buildings, schools, health facilities, roads and bridges have also been affected.

The worst-hit areas include Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Chocó. In Valle del Cauca alone, authorities reported 190 deaths, while Risaralda recorded 108. The earthquake and subsequent tremors have complicated rescue and relief operations across the affected region.

For the SVD Province of Colombia, the immediate priority is to provide shelter, food and other basic assistance to confreres, parishioners, and families whose homes and livelihoods have been affected.
Fr. Gbortsu appealed for continued solidarity as the Province accompanies communities through the emergency and begins the longer process of recovery and reconstruction.

— With reporting from the SVD Province of Colombia