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Recent earthquakes in Colombia
Was there an earthquake in Colombia today? Check reported USGS epicentres, times, magnitudes and depths, or choose a longer period.
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Latest earthquakes
UpdatedUpdates every minute while this page is visible
No known events in this window
This describes the available catalogue, not an all-clear. Try a longer period or check the latest known event below.
The last 30 days
- Latest recorded earthquake
- No records in 30 days
- Strongest in 30 days
- No records in 30 days
- Earthquakes in the catalogue
- 0USGS
- Magnitude 4.5 or larger
- 0M ≥ 4.5
Data from USGS, updated automatically. This is not a warning; official alerts come from national authorities. Times are shown in Colombia time (UTC−5).
Where earthquakes happen in Colombia
The Pacific coast: subduction
Off Nariño, Cauca and Chocó, the Nazca Plate sinks beneath South America. The 1906 Tumaco earthquake (M8.8), Colombia’s largest on record, and the 1979 Tumaco tsunami came from here.
The Andes: shallow faults
Active faults cross all three Andean ranges. Moderate shallow earthquakes can be very destructive: the 1999 earthquake (M6.1) devastated Armenia and the Coffee Region, which many visitors now tour.
The Bucaramanga nest
Beneath Santander, earthquakes cluster about 150 km deep in one of the most active seismic sources on Earth. Small tremors are frequent there, but the depth usually keeps shaking moderate.
Major earthquakes
The largest earthquakes recorded in Colombia since 1900, according to the USGS:
- 8.8Mw
Tumaco (Nariño)
- Depth 20 km
- 8.0Mw
Amazonas
- Depth 645 km
- 7.7Ms
Tumaco (Nariño)
- Depth 24 km
Travelling in Colombia
Colombia uses UTC−5 all year. The official report comes from the Colombian Geological Survey (SGC); its magnitude can differ slightly from the USGS figure here.
Bogotá, Medellín and the Coffee Region all lie in seismically active mountains. Earthquakes cannot be predicted, so the useful step is knowing the exits and safe spots where you stay.
On the Pacific coast (Tumaco, Buenaventura, Nuquí), strong or long shaking means move to higher ground at once, without waiting for an official alert.
Frequently asked questions
When was the last earthquake in Colombia?
The first panel on this page shows the latest earthquake in the catalogue with its local time. The SGC publishes the official report.
Which part of Colombia has the most earthquakes?
Santander, because of the deep Bucaramanga nest, records the most events. The largest earthquakes have occurred off the Pacific coast.
Why do the SGC and USGS give different magnitudes?
They use different station networks and methods, and early figures are revised.
Latest known event
Latest known event · America/Bogota
Sources and coverage
Source: USGS · GeoNames · CC BY 4.0 · Natural Earth
The location is the reported epicentre. Offshore context is separate from a position inside a country. Small-event coverage varies by region.
Historical context
The historical catalogue includes USGS M6+ from 1900, M4.5+ from 1970 and delivered events since the project began. It is not a complete record of all small earthquakes.
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