Across borders, beside the rescuers in Pereira

The ground shook across western Colombia on August 10, 2026. The magnitude 7.4 earthquake, centered near San José del Palmar in Chocó, also brought serious damage to Pereira. In the first days afterward, Fundación Corazones por la Vida mobilized an advance team of rescuers, doctors and paramedics to join the emergency response in the city.

An advance team on the ground

With flight support from Avior, the foundation sent its personnel to Colombia and coordinated in Pereira with Colombian responders and other international teams. On arrival, there was no single task that defined the mission: people and equipment had to reach the right places, teams needed to share information, and responders had to prepare for work around damaged structures.

The photographs from the deployment show foundation volunteers in their green jackets at the Pereira search-and-rescue base, alongside colleagues in helmets and protective gear. They also document the movement of equipment and supplies between the airport, vehicles and field locations.

Care and caution among the debris

The response brought teams into areas of unstable rubble. Search personnel inspected damaged spaces, worked carefully around concrete and debris, and coordinated the use of equipment in places where every movement required attention. The foundation’s doctors and paramedics accompanied the deployment as part of the wider emergency response.

Photographs trace that work into the evening, with rescue personnel and machinery near collapsed structures. The scene changed from one location to another, but the need for careful communication between teams remained constant.

Supporting the people doing the rescue

Keeping responders in the field required more than equipment. Fundación Corazones por la Vida helped organize meals for the rescuers attached to its operation, including members of Grupo Fénix from Argentina. The team also coordinated water, drinks and other practical supplies at the response base.

That logistical work matters during long shifts. A shared meal or a ready supply of water gives teams a chance to regroup before returning to the next assignment. In Pereira, caring for responders was one way to help sustain care for the communities around them.

Solidarity that crossed borders

DJ Pope, J Balvin’s DJ and an international ambassador of the foundation, supported the effort to reach the affected areas of Colombia. Avior’s sponsorship helped our team fly to Colombia. Their collaboration joined that of rescuers, health professionals and volunteers who stepped forward when the emergency demanded a shared response.

Our gratitude goes to the Colombian teams, Grupo Fénix, the other international responders, DJ Pope, Avior and everyone who helped our people work in Pereira. The earthquake struck on August 10; the photographs document the response in the days that followed. Together, they tell a story of people showing up for one another across borders.