When Colombia Shakes, We Feel It: Standing With Our Coffee Communities

Colombia Earthquake 2026: What Happened, Why the Coffee Region Was Affected, and How to Help From Canada

Updated August 12, 2026. Information about casualties, damage and humanitarian needs continues to evolve as rescue and assessment operations remain underway.

On the morning of August 10, Colombia shook.

At 7:34 a.m. local time, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicentre near San José del Palmar, Chocó. The Colombian Geological Service reported a depth of approximately 103 kilometres. It was an exceptionally powerful event, felt across a wide area of the country.

In the days since, rescue teams, firefighters, volunteers, medical personnel and humanitarian organizations have continued searching through damaged areas and supporting families. As of August 12, reports indicate that more than 250 people have lost their lives, while the full human and material impact is still being assessed.

Behind every number is a person.

A parent. A child. A neighbour. A friend. A family waiting for news. A community trying to understand what comes next.

At Majestic Mountain Coffee, this tragedy feels especially close to our hearts.

Colombia is not simply the country printed on our coffee bags.

Colombia and its regions are our reason for being.

We are Colombian women living in Canada who created Majestic Mountain from a shared love for our homeland and its extraordinary coffee heritage. Our purpose has always been to share the diversity of Colombia through specialty coffee while building relationships with farmers and celebrating the traditions, landscapes and people behind every cup.

Today, those same mountains and communities that inspire us are hurting.

And we hurt with them.

A Country Shaped by Extraordinary — and Powerful — Geography

Colombia is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world.

From the Caribbean coast to the Pacific, from tropical forests to snow-capped mountains, Colombia's geography creates extraordinary biodiversity, agricultural richness and some of the world's most celebrated coffee-growing environments.

But the same geological forces that created many of these landscapes also make Colombia a country with significant seismic activity.

Colombia sits in a complex tectonic region where several plates interact, particularly the Nazca, South American and Caribbean plates. Along Colombia's western edge, the Nazca Plate moves beneath the South American Plate. As these enormous sections of the Earth's crust interact, pressure can accumulate and eventually be released as earthquakes.

Earthquakes themselves are natural geological processes. What transforms an earthquake into a disaster depends on many other factors: where people live, building conditions, infrastructure, population density, preparedness and terrain.

And terrain matters enormously in Colombia.

The Andes cross much of the country, creating steep mountain slopes where cities, towns, rural communities, roads and farms have developed over generations. Strong shaking can therefore be accompanied by landslides, damaged roads and difficult access, making rescue and humanitarian operations even more challenging.

It is a geography that has given Colombia extraordinary beauty.

It is also a geography that requires preparation, strong communities and constant respect for nature.

When the Coffee Region Is Affected, It Becomes Deeply Personal

Among the areas impacted by the earthquake are departments closely connected to Colombia's coffee culture, including Risaralda, Caldas, Quindío and Valle del Cauca, alongside Chocó and other affected regions.

For someone looking at a coffee map, names such as Risaralda or Quindío might represent an origin.

For Colombians, they represent much more.

They are mountains covered in coffee trees.

They are colourful towns and winding roads.

They are families beginning work before sunrise.

They are generations of farmers who have learned to understand rainfall, soil, altitude and the delicate moment when a coffee cherry is ready to be picked.

They are home.

Pereira, the capital of Risaralda and one of the most recognizable cities in Colombia's Coffee Region, has been among the places facing significant loss following the earthquake. Rescue operations have continued as families and authorities confront the scale of the emergency.

Some of the communities and people connected to our own coffee supply network have also been affected.

At this moment, our priority is their wellbeing.

We believe there are times to talk about coffee quality, tasting notes, harvests and beautiful farms.

This is not one of those times.

Today, what matters is the person behind the coffee.

Before a coffee reaches Canada, there is a farmer. A family. A community. A driver. A mill worker. A team of people whose lives exist far beyond the product we eventually hold in our hands.

When those communities are facing uncertainty, our first concern cannot be:

When will the coffee arrive?

It must be:

Are you safe? What do you need? How can we stand with you?

That is what respecting origin means to us.

Colombia's Coffee Region Has Faced This Before

For many Colombians, particularly those with roots in the Coffee Region, the events of August 2026 bring back painful memories.

On January 25, 1999, a devastating earthquake struck Colombia's coffee-growing region, profoundly affecting Armenia, Pereira and surrounding municipalities.

The destruction was enormous.

But what happened afterwards also became an important part of Colombia's story.

Communities, government institutions, civil society organizations, universities, cooperatives and international partners came together to rebuild. Homes were repaired and reconstructed, schools and health centres reopened, and entire neighbourhoods had to imagine their futures again.

Recovery did not happen overnight.

It happened through work.

Through cooperation.

Through people helping people.

That history does not make the losses of today any smaller. Nor should the word resilience ever be used to suggest that families should simply endure tragedy and continue alone.

But Colombia has shown before what can happen when the determination of its people is supported by organized assistance, strong communities and solidarity.

And that gives us hope.

Todos por Colombia: Solidarity Must Become Action

There is a phrase that feels especially meaningful right now:

Todos por Colombia.

All of us for Colombia.

For Colombians abroad, moments like this can create a difficult feeling of distance. You may be in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver or somewhere else in the world while your heart is thousands of kilometres away.

You refresh your phone.

You call your family.

You search for the name of a neighbourhood.

You wonder what you can actually do.

One of the most valuable things we can do from Canada is support trusted humanitarian organizations that already have people, logistics and emergency-response systems on the ground.

The Colombian Red Cross has activated its response following the earthquake, providing humanitarian assistance and mobilizing resources where they are most needed.

For Canadians who want to contribute financially, there is also now an official Colombia Earthquake Appeal through the Canadian Red Cross. The appeal appears under its current international emergency responses and directs donations specifically toward the earthquake response.

How to Help Colombia From Canada

If you are in Canada and would like to donate, we recommend using official Red Cross channels.

Option 1: Donate through the Canadian Red Cross

1. Visit the official Canadian Red Cross website.
2. Go to Active Responses.
3. Scroll to Urgent International Relief Efforts.
4. Look for Colombia Earthquake Appeal.
5. Select Donate.
6. Choose your contribution amount and complete the secure donation form.
7. Keep your confirmation and donation receipt.

The Colombia Earthquake Appeal is currently listed directly by the Canadian Red Cross as an active international emergency response.

For people living in Canada, this can be one of the simplest ways to help because the donation is processed through the Canadian organization.

Option 2: Support the Colombian Red Cross directly

The Cruz Roja Colombiana has also established official emergency fundraising and humanitarian-response channels for the earthquake.

When donating directly, always begin from the Colombian Red Cross's official website or its official earthquake emergency page rather than using bank information forwarded through WhatsApp, screenshots or unofficial social-media accounts.

Humanitarian emergencies unfortunately also create opportunities for misinformation and fraud.

Before sending money:

• Check the website domain carefully.
• Use links published directly by the Red Cross.
• Do not rely solely on screenshots of banking information.
• Be cautious with personal fundraising accounts unless you personally know and trust the recipient.
• Verify earthquake updates through official institutions and established humanitarian organizations.

Helping responsibly is part of helping well.

What Can a Donation Help Provide?

The needs after a major earthquake extend far beyond the first days.

Emergency response can include:

• Search and rescue support
• Emergency medical care
• Safe drinking water
• Temporary shelter
• Food and essential household supplies
• Psychological first aid
• Telecommunications support
• Reconnecting separated families
• Longer-term recovery assistance

The immediate rescue phase receives the most attention, but recovery can take months or years.

A family whose home is damaged will still need support after the headlines disappear.

A farmer whose access road has been blocked may continue facing difficulties long after emergency crews leave.

A child who experienced the earthquake may need emotional support even after buildings have been repaired.

That is why sustained support matters.

More Than Coffee: Why This Matters to Majestic Mountain

At Majestic Mountain, our mission has always gone beyond selling coffee.

We created this company because we wanted Canadians to discover the diversity of Colombia through one of the products that connects so deeply with our identity: coffee.

Every region has something different to tell.

Every altitude creates something different.

Every farmer carries knowledge that cannot be replicated by a machine.

Every cup connects a person drinking coffee in Canada with a landscape and community thousands of kilometres away.

Our purpose is to share those diverse flavours while honouring the people, heritage and traditions behind them.

That responsibility cannot exist only when Colombia gives us beautiful stories to tell.

It matters even more when the story is difficult.

We cannot celebrate Colombian mountains without caring about the people who live in them.

We cannot speak about farmers without caring about their families.

We cannot proudly call ourselves a Colombian coffee company only when Colombia is celebrating.

When Colombia hurts, we feel it too.

The Colombia We Know

There is another Colombia that will emerge in the coming days.

We already know her.

It is the Colombia of neighbours checking on one another.

The Colombia of firefighters, health workers, rescuers and volunteers working hour after hour.

The Colombia of someone opening their home because another family cannot return to theirs.

The Colombia of people preparing food for strangers.

The Colombia of communities organizing before anyone asks them to.

The Colombia of farmers who understand that rebuilding takes patience.

The Colombia of millions of people abroad asking, “How can I help?”

We are a country of hardworking people.

Of entrepreneurs.

Of farmers.

Of families who rebuild.

Of communities that understand that sometimes moving forward means carrying one another.

That does not erase grief.

It does not replace what has been lost.

And optimism should never diminish the pain families are experiencing today.

But hope and grief can exist together.

We can mourn what has happened while believing deeply in what Colombia will do next.

Colombia, We Are With You

To every person who lost someone they love:

We are thinking of you.

To every family waiting for news:

We are with you.

To every firefighter, doctor, nurse, rescuer, Red Cross volunteer and person helping a stranger:

Thank you.

To Colombia's coffee-growing families and to the suppliers and communities connected to our own story:

You are much more than the origin of our coffee. You are part of the reason Majestic Mountain exists.

And to our Colombian community here in Canada:

Distance does not mean disconnection.

We can donate.

We can share verified information.

We can support official humanitarian organizations.

We can check on our families and friends.

We can continue talking about affected communities after the headlines move somewhere else.

And we can remind Colombia that it is not alone.

Colombia has faced extraordinarily difficult moments before.

It has rebuilt before.

And it will rebuild again, not because Colombians should be expected to endure everything, but because when the hard work and strength of our people meet solidarity, resources, organization and community, extraordinary things become possible.

Todos por Colombia. 🇨🇴

From Canada, we send our love to every community affected.

Stay strong, Colombia. We are with you.

With love,
Majestic Mountain Coffee