A further 570 people have been reported injured, and a national disaster has been declared, with some parts of Pereira placed under a curfew until Tuesday morning.
Support has already been offered by the US, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio saying Washington is “closely monitoring” the fallout, while the EU has confirmed its Copernicus satellite was being used to assist in rescue efforts.
Abelardo de la Espriella is sworn in as president of Colombia in Cali, Colombia, on August 7, 2026 (Getty Images)Getty Images
The pledge of assistance from Israel, though, is another sign of strengthening relations between the Jewish State and Latin America.
Colombia in particular has already taken a significantly warmer tone towards Jerusalem since the election of populist President Abelardo de la Espriella last week.
Within days of taking office, Espriella confirmed that Bogotá would recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, making it only the second UN member to make such a move, after the US did so in 2019.
In an announcement on X, the Colombian Foreign Ministry said: “Given the persistent regional instability in the Middle East and considering the strategic importance of the Golan Heights to Israel’s security, the Government of Colombia recognises Israeli sovereignty over this territory, as well as Israel’s right to protect itself against external threats.
“In this regional security context, Colombia recognises that maintaining Israel’s control and sovereignty over the Golan Heights is an essential component of its national defence and its ability to protect and safeguard its citizens.”
Israel has controlled the Golan Heights since it occupied the Syrian region during the 1967 Six-Day War.
In 1981, Jerusalem announced that the area would be governed by Israeli law, effectively annexing the territory.
However, neither the UN nor the majority of its member states currently recognise Israeli sovereignty over the region, instead viewing it as Israeli-occupied Syrian territory.
