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How Amazon supported communities impacted by the Colombia earthquake
Amazon donated emergency supplies, rallied over 150 volunteers, and partnered with five organizations to support earthquake recovery.
Written by Sam Shockley, Senior Product Manager, Amazon Disaster Relief
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Amazon aid reached more than 100 communities in 30 municipalities after the Colombia earthquake
When a 7.4 in magnitude hit western Colombia on August 10, taking hundreds of lives and causing widespread devastation, Amazon acted quickly to help.
To support families who were impacted, Amazon made cash donations to multiple nonprofits at the center of the emergency response, including:
“With Amazon’s help, we moved more than 160 metric tons of relief supplies via air, road, river, and sea. Amazon’s quick support means a stronger future for more than 100 communities in 30 different municipalities,” said Lucas Bravo Reyes, the CEO and founder of the nonprofit Educambio.
Here’s how Amazon helped in the hours, days, and weeks after the earthquake:
- Supported five organizations at the center of earthquake relief efforts with cash donations and volunteering
- Hosted six volunteering events in multiple locations to meet urgent relief needs for neighbors
- Donated and delivered more than 100 tents for displaced families to Cruz Roja Colombiana
An Amazon volunteer helps sort medicine with Educambio.
More than 150 Amazon volunteers stepped up to help their neighbors recover from the earthquake in Chocó, Risaralda, Valle del Cauca, Caldas, and Quindío regions. They set up relief centers and collected, tracked, sorted, and packed food, water, medicine, pet food, and other emergency supplies.
“Colombia is going through one of its most difficult moments. And those of us who live here feel it up close. Seeing entire communities displaced, families who lost everything, neighbors pulling rubble with their bare hands—this earthquake has left a deep mark,” said Gustavo Cadavid, Amazon's Customer Service Latin America director who lives and works in Colombia. “But I'm also seeing something that fills me with hope: The response from Colombians has been immediate and massive. Neighbors helping neighbors. Volunteers changing their daily routines to help. Being able to stand together at this moment leaves me both grateful and hopeful.”
Amazon operates 12 Disaster Relief hubs in seven countries worldwide to quickly respond to disasters when they strike. Since 2017, Amazon has donated and delivered more than 30 million relief items to support people impacted by more than 200 disasters worldwide.
August 11, 2026 3:21 PM
Amazon is assessing urgent needs in partnership with food banks and other first responders
We're thinking of everyone impacted by the devastating earthquake that struck western Colombia on August 10. The 7.4 magnitude quake struck near San José del Palmar on the Pacific coast, claiming more than 250 lives and causing widespread destruction. We are taking immediate action to provide support and relief during this challenging time.
Here's how Amazon is helping communities affected by the Colombia earthquake:
Prioritizing safety
Our top priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and partners. We have a 24/7 operation dedicated to providing alerts and up-to-date information when severe events like this occur to help inform our operational decisions, as well as emergency resources for impacted employees.
“Right now, our focus is on our employees and the people in communities affected by the Colombia earthquake. We are working with community partners and humanitarian organizations to identify where additional support is needed, and we will continue that work in the weeks ahead. We urge everyone to follow guidance from local emergency officials,” said Abe Diaz, head of Amazon's Disaster Relief.
Donating and delivering emergency supplies
Amazon is working with humanitarian relief agencies on the ground in Colombia, including local food banks, to assess what emergency supplies we can donate and deliver to support affected communities. Where local sourcing is possible, we prioritize buying supplies within the affected country to get aid to people faster and support the local economy.
When needed, we can also draw on our network of 12 Disaster Relief hubs in seven countries—stocked with tarps, blankets, and other emergency supplies—so we can get aid when and where it’s needed as quickly as possible.
"Colombia is our home, and in the most difficult moments is when we must reinforce our commitment to the country. We are mobilizing resources to support the communities most affected by the earthquake. This is the moment to act, hand in hand for those who need it most," said Daniel Saldarriaga, country manager of AWS in Colombia.
Since 2017, Amazon has donated and delivered more than 30 million essential supplies in response to more than 200 disasters around the world, including the Venezuela earthquake and Türkiye and Syria earthquake.
