Colombia Gets 3,300 Food Kits After 7.4 Earthquake

Thousands of families in Cali, Colombia are receiving hot meals and hygiene supplies after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake shattered their communities on August 10, 2026.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints coordinated the delivery of 3,300 food kits to the city, working directly with local officials to reach families in desperate need. The first 1,000 kits arrived within days of the disaster, with 2,300 more on the way.

Elder Harold Truque, a local church leader from Cali, led the initial delivery to collection centers across the city. Volunteers worked around the clock to pack and distribute supplies while the community was still reeling from aftershocks.

The earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m. on a Monday morning, with its epicenter in San José del Palmar in western Colombia. At 66 miles deep, the quake killed at least 181 people and injured 2,595 more, leaving entire neighborhoods in rubble.

Natalia Lasso, an adviser to Cali's mayor, accepted the donation at the main collection center and promised transparent distribution to those most affected. She thanked volunteers for their speed and generosity during the crisis.

Beyond food and supplies, the relief effort included emotional support from volunteer psychologists who listened to survivors processing trauma and loss. Collection centers became gathering places where neighbors helped neighbors sort donations and comfort each other.

The Ripple Effect

The response extended far beyond physical aid. Elder Juan Pablo Villar, part of the regional church presidency, recorded a video message thanking volunteers for embodying compassion during Colombia's darkest hours.

An apostle from the church's leadership, Elder Gary E. Stevenson, traveled to Colombia to visit affected communities. He wrote on social media that even amid devastating loss, he witnessed "hearts anchored in the Savior and strengthened by His promised peace."

The coordinated effort between religious organizations, local government, and everyday volunteers created a model for disaster response that prioritized speed, transparency, and human connection. Survivors didn't just receive boxes of food but experienced a community refusing to let them face crisis alone.

In neighboring Ecuador, where tremors were also felt, the response inspired similar mobilization efforts. The earthquake marked one of only three magnitude 7 or larger quakes in the region since 1950, making the swift community response all the more remarkable.

Thousands of families who thought they'd lost everything now have food on their tables and hope for rebuilding.