As Colombia's Earthquake Toll Passes 285, New President De La Espriella Is Tested Barely a Week Into the Job

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella speaks next to his wife Ana Lucia Pineda during a press conference at the Palacio de San Carlos in Bogota on August 12, 2026. Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on August 12, that he will declare an economic emergency in Colombia to confront the earthquake that has left thousands of victims, a measure that allows him to impose taxes and modify the budget without going through Congress. (Credit: Photo by ESTEBAN VEGA LA-ROTTA / AFP via Getty Images)

At least 285 people have died as a result of Colombia's earthquake, according to the latest count from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management, known as UNGRD. The figure published in the morning of August 14 is still climbing four days after the 7.4-magnitude quake struck the country's coffee-growing region and Pacific coast.

The Numbers Behind the Headline