On 10 August 2026, a powerful magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar in the Department of Chocó. The earthquake was felt across much of the country and was followed by numerous aftershocks. The disaster caused widespread destruction to homes, public infrastructure, health facilities and schools, while disrupting essential services and access routes across several departments. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected, with many families losing their homes and requiring immediate humanitarian assistance, particularly emergency shelter and basic relief items.

Following the Colombian Government’s request for international assistance through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM), Luxembourg was among the first European countries to respond. Recognizing the urgent need for temporary shelter solutions for displaced populations, Luxembourg mobilized emergency shelter assistance through emergency.lu.

As part of its contribution, Luxembourg donated four large expert tents, each providing 48 m² of covered operational space, as well as 75 family tents to support affected communities. The deployment of these shelter items contributes to the provision of safe and dignified temporary accommodation for families who lost their homes and supports humanitarian actors working on the ground to coordinate relief efforts.