WCC news: Churches respond to earthquake in Colombia with solidarity and accompaniment

World Council of Churches (WCC) member church, the Presbyterian Church of Colombia, and ecumenical organizations in Colombia are mobilizing in solidarity with communities affected by a powerful earthquake that struck the western and central parts of the country on 10 August. Marcelo Schneider/WCC 11 August 2026 According to preliminary figures, the 7.4-magnitude earthquake, with an epicentre near San José del Palmar in Chocó, has affected 16 departments. Authorities report over 110 deaths, hundreds of people injured, and over 1,000 homes damaged.  In a communiqué to ecumenical partners, the leadership of the Presbyterian Church of Colombia expressed its solidarity and called for prayers for affected families and communities, as well as for those engaged in rescue and emergency response efforts. The church is monitoring the situation in areas where it has a presence and is coordinating with its Presbyteries to develop an organized and responsible response based on the needs identified locally. "May the God of all consolation sustain those who today face fear, pain, or uncertainty, strengthen those who are serving in the midst of this emergency, and enable us, as a church, to walk together and be instruments of hope, solidarity, and service,” reads the message signed by Rev. Leonardo Vargas Delgado, moderator of the church, and Marwin Hurtado Echavarria, executive secretary. “Christian fellowship becomes especially visible through prayer, closeness, service and solidarity.”  Community infrastructure, including schools, health centres, and community buildings, has also been affected, while damage to roads and bridges has disrupted connectivity in several areas. The ACT Alliance Colombia Forum is likewise in close contact with local churches, partner organizations, and community networks to assess the impact of the earthquake and identify humanitarian needs.  The forum will assess how its members and the ACT Alliance’s response mechanisms can complement the national emergency response, according to available capacities and presence in affected territories. Churches and ecumenical partners emphasize that any response will be locally led, needs-based, and grounded in dignity and human rights. Alongside humanitarian assistance, they will continue providing pastoral presence, psychosocial support, and accompaniment through existing church and community networks. The churches call on the ecumenical family to remain attentive to official updates and coordinated opportunities to support affected communities. See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 356 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches Chemin du Pommier 42 Kyoto Building Le Grand-Saconnex CH-1218 Switzerland