DOI: 10.17603/ds2-p72s-s164
title: StEER: M6.4 Paratebueno Earthquake Joint Reconnaissance Report (JRR)
title: in  StEER - M6.4 Paratebueno Earthquake 

description: In response, StEER coordinated with colleagues in the Colombian Earthquake Engineering Research (CEER) Network to support their local response to this event, which included a self-directed survey of the impacted area on June 12, 2025. A consortium was formed between CEER, StEER, and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) Program to author this Joint Reconnaissance Report (JRR), which uses both third-party assembled virtually by CEER, StEER and EERI LFE members and CEER-field-collected data to: (1) provide an overview of the June 8, 2025 Mw 6.4 Paratebueno earthquake and it societal impacts, (2) summarize the tectonic and seismic context of this region of Colombia, (3) contextualize performance with Colombian seismic design codes and construction practices, (4) synthesize preliminary reports of damage to buildings and other infrastructure, and (5) offer recommendations for the continued study of this event by StEER and the wider engineering reconnaissance community, centered on: (i) Risk Assessment of Informal and Non-Engineered Buildings, (ii) National Risk Assessment Model for Educational Infrastructure, and (iii) Resilience of Lifelines and Rural Communities. Note that all observations and findings provided in this JRR should be considered preliminary and are based on limited field observations.
description: On June 8, 2025, at 8:08 a.m. local time (13:08 UTC), a moment magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near Paratebueno in the department of Cundinamarca, Colombia. The epicenter was located in the Llanos Foothills region along the eastern flank of the Colombian Andes, approximately 15 km southeast of Paratebueno. The largest recorded horizontal peak ground acceleration was 0.11 g, near Villavicencio. The 2025 Paratebueno earthquake caused widespread damage to buildings, infrastructure, and essential services across several rural communities in Cundinamarca, including Santa Cecilia, Japón, Medina, and parts of Villanueva and Barranca de Upía. These communities are characterized by limited economic resources, prevalent informal construction practices, and limited access to earthquake-resistant infrastructure.

According to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), at least 508 people were directly affected, with 362 homes damaged, 174 completely collapsed, and nearly 1,400 people displaced into temporary shelters. In Paratebueno, 134 homes collapsed and one church was damaged, while nearby Medina reported damage to homes, public institutions, and three churches. Infrastructure impacts included landslides and pavement failure along critical segments of the Villavicencio–Yopal corridor, which disrupted transportation and paralyzed local commerce. The education sector was particularly affected, with at least 27 schools destroyed. The consequences of the event highlighted the vulnerability of non-engineered structures and underscored the urgent need for resilient infrastructure in future reconstruction.

In response, StEER coordinated with colleagues in the Colombian Earthquake Engineering Research (CEER) Network to support their local response to this event, which included a self-directed survey of the impacted area on June 12, 2025. A consortium was formed between CEER, StEER, and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Learning from Earthquakes (LFE) Program to author this Joint Reconnaissance Report (JRR), which uses both third-party assembled virtually by CEER, StEER and EERI LFE members and CEER-field-collected data to: (1) provide an overview of the June 8, 2025 Mw 6.4 Paratebueno earthquake and it societal impacts, (2) summarize the tectonic and seismic context of this region of Colombia, (3) contextualize performance with Colombian seismic design codes and construction practices, (4) synthesize preliminary reports of damage to buildings and other infrastructure, and (5) offer recommendations for the continued study of this event by StEER and the wider engineering reconnaissance community, centered on: (i) Risk Assessment of Informal and Non-Engineered Buildings, (ii) National Risk Assessment Model for Educational Infrastructure, and (iii) Resilience of Lifelines and Rural Communities.

This project encompasses the products of StEER's Level 1 response to this event - a Joint Reconnaissance Report (JRR). Note that all observations and findings provided in this JRR should be considered preliminary and are based on limited field observations.