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Colombia quake kills over 200 as rescue teams race to find missing | In pictures

The Hindu · 🇮🇳 public India · · 1057 words · By The Hindu Bureau
Natural Disaster Response Regional Poverty and Neglect Political Leadership Transition
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A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (August 10, 2026) bringing down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble, local authorities said.

Claims checked 16
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (August 10, 2026) bringing down buildings across several cities and leaving others trapped in the rubble, local authorities said.

Why it matters

The 7.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Cali, Quibdo, Pereira and numerous other cities and towns.

Common ground

Search and rescue efforts were under way early on Wednesday (August 12) in dozens of cities and towns in western Colombia, even as the death toll rose to over 200, leaving many trapped under the debris of damaged and destroyed buildings.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/colombia-earthquake-several-dead-epi…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 16 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7
schedule Pending 6
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 1
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Claim 1: “Abelardo de la Espriella, who was sworn in as Colombia's leader on August 7, 2026.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 2: “The U.S. State Department announced it would provide $15.5 million for emergency shelter, food and other aid.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 3: “Colombia’s Geological Service said Monday’s (August 10) quake was the country’s strongest recorded “in the 21st century,””
CORROBORATED
Three independent web search results confirm that Colombia's Geological Service (SGC) identified this as the strongest earthquake recorded in the 21st century.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of Colombia (President of the Republic) is the head of state and head of government of Colombia. The president heads the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Colombia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Colombia national football team (Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Colombia), nicknamed Los Cafeteros, represents Colombia in men's international football and is managed by the Federación Colombiana…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia_national_football_tea…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country located in South America, with insular regions in North America. Colombia's mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “two back-to-back quakes devastated neighbouring Venezuela in late June, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing more than 6,300 people.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “A powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday (August 10, 2026)”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (Al Jazeera, EuroNews, Deutsche Welle) confirm a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The president of Colombia (President of the Republic) is the head of state and head of government of Colombia. The president heads the executive branch of the national government and is the commander-…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Colombia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country located in South America, with insular regions in North America. Colombia's mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colombians (Spanish: Colombianos) are people identified with the country of Colombia. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Colombians, several (or all) of these …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombians
+ 5 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 6: “The 7.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Cali, Quibdo, Pereira and numerous other cities and towns.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
While the magnitude (7.4) is corroborated by other claims, the specific list of cities (Cali, Quibdo, Pereira) being rattled is not explicitly confirmed in the provided evidence for this specific claim; web results provided were irrelevant VAT calculators.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country located in South America, with insular regions in North America. Colombia's mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — El Dorado International Airport (IATA: BOG, ICAO: SKBO) is an international airport serving Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, and its surrounding areas. The airport is located mostly in the Fontibón di…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Dorado_International_Airpor…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Rafael Núñez International Airport (IATA: CTG, ICAO: SKCG) is an international airport serving the Caribbean port city of Cartagena, Colombia. It is the largest airport in the country's northern Carib…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Núñez_International_Air…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 7: “The epicentre was in San Jose del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometres) west of Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey said.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (The Hindu, Havana Times, and other web results) confirm the epicenter was in San Jose del Palmar, Choco, approximately 400km west of Bogota, citing the USGS.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The epicenter was in San Jose Del Palmar, a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Colombia’s President A…
https://www.ksla.com/2026/08/10/47-dead-buildings-collapsed-…
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web search NEUTRAL — The epicentre was in San Jose del Palmar, which is a community of about 4,800 people in the Choco region, 400 kilometres west of Bogota. According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake struck at…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnpdTwsyC1g
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web search NEUTRAL — The epicenter was in San Jose Del Palmar, a municipality in the Choco region about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Colombia’s capital, Bogota, the U.S. Geological Survey and Colombia’s counterpart …
https://havanatimes.org/news/a-7-4-magnitude-earthquake-shak…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 8: “By August 10th night, more than 2,700 people had been reported missing.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 9: “Abelardo de la Espriella, a Trump ally who was sworn in as President over the weekend.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and multiple news sources confirm Abelardo de la Espriella was sworn in as the 36th President of Colombia on August 7, 2026 (the Friday preceding Monday, August 10).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abelardo Gabriel de la Espriella Otero (born 31 July 1978) is a Colombian lawyer, businessman, and politician who has served as the 36th president of Colombia since 2026. He is the founder and leader …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abelardo_de_la_Espriella
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Abelardo de la Espriella's inauguration as the 36th President of Colombia took place on Friday, August 7, 2026. It was the 40th Colombian presidential inauguration marking the beginning of his four-ye…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Abelardo_de_la…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Defenders of the Homeland (Spanish: Defensores de la Patria) is a far-right political party in Colombia, founded by Abelardo de la Espriella to support his candidacy for the 2026 presidential electio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defenders_of_the_Homeland_(Col…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 10: “the death toll included at least 40 people who were killed in the Risaralda region, where Pereira is located, and 27 people in the Valle del Cauca region, where Cali is located”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists only of dictionary definitions for the word 'least' and contains no factual data regarding death tolls in Risaralda or Valle del Cauca.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — LEAST definition: smallest in size, amount, degree, etc.; slightest. See examples of least used in a sentence.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/least
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — We use the quantifier least to talk about quantities, amounts and degree. (The) least is the superlative form of little. …
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/least
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 6 days ago · The meaning of LEAST is lowest in importance or position. How to use least in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/least
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Claim 11: “the quake ravaged cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo and Manizales, and was felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is reported identically across multiple cross-references from The Hindu.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — the quake ravaged cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo and Manizales, and was felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/74-magnitude-ear…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — the quake ravaged cities across western Colombia, including Pereira, Quibdo and Manizales, and was felt in neighbouring Ecuador and Panama.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/massive-colombia…
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Claim 12: “The local government said that people remained trapped in a number of the city's 380 damaged buildings.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is reported identically across multiple cross-references from The Hindu.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — the local government said that people remained trapped in a number of the city's 380 damaged buildings [Cali]
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/74-magnitude-ear…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — The local government said that people remained trapped in a number of the city's 380 damaged buildings.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/massive-colombia…
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Claim 13: “the death toll rose to over 200”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results ('World in Brief' and others) explicitly state that the death toll rose to over 200 people.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — FARC dissidents (Spanish: Disidencias de las Farc), including the Carlos Patiño Front, are groups of former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) who refused to lay down their a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FARC_dissidents
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Commons (Spanish: Comunes), previously Common Alternative Revolutionary Force (Spanish: Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria del Común, FARC) until 24 January 2021, is a political party in Colombia, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commons_(Colombia)
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country located in South America, with insular regions in North America. Colombia's mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 14: “Local authorities said 80% of El Cairo, a town of about 7,000 people, was damaged.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 15: “Around 1,600 buildings were reported damaged or collapsed.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is reported identically across multiple cross-references from The Hindu.
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Around 1,600 buildings were reported damaged or collapsed
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/74-magnitude-ear…
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cross reference SUPPORTS — Around 1,600 buildings were reported damaged or collapsed.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/massive-colombia…
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Claim 16: “In 1999, a 6.2 magnitude quake near the city of Armenia killed more than 1,100 people.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.