Roldanillo earthquake: pilots rally to help

Hundreds of homes have been destroyed and two people killed in Roldanillo following the powerful earthquake that struck western Colombia on Monday 10 August. The international paragliding community is now being asked to help support the town.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck western Colombia on Monday morning, causing widespread destruction across the region and leaving at least 250 people dead. The epicentre was near San José del Palmar, around 60km north of Roldanillo, and the earthquake was felt across a large part of the country.

Roldanillo, one of the best-known paragliding destinations in the world, was badly affected although fortunately it did not suffer an extreme number of casualties.

Local pilot and competition organiser Lucho Jimenez told Cross Country that two people had died in Roldanillo and around 400 homes had been completely destroyed. A further 1,000 homes are thought to have suffered damage ranging from severe to minor.

Much of the town remains without electricity or internet, with knock-on effects on fuel and gas supplies. Many supermarkets, grocery shops and pharmacies are also closed.

“The government and thousands of volunteers from the town are cleaning the streets to be able to make a clearer assessment of the situation,” Lucho said on Wednesday.

Colombian pilots have launched fundraising campaigns to provide direct help to families affected by the disaster. By Wednesday evening they were approaching €30,000 and US$20,000 in donations.

The immediate aim is to provide 500 families with basic supplies for two weeks, Lucho said. Organisers also hope to provide temporary roofing and help with essential structural repairs so families can remain on their properties where possible.

The appeal is asking the international flying community to support a town that has welcomed thousands of visiting pilots over the years.

“Roldanillo is much more than a place on the map,” organisers said. “It is a community that has welcomed visitors, athletes, paragliding pilots and friends from around the world with extraordinary warmth and generosity. Today, this community needs our solidarity in return.”

Donations will be used according to local needs, including food, drinking water, medicines, hygiene products, temporary accommodation, transport, emergency materials and essential repairs.

The 2026/27 season

A guide to flying in Roldanillo and the Cauca Valley, Colombia. Credit: Passion Paragliding

Roldanillo is one of Colombia’s most important paragliding destinations and attracts large numbers of international pilots during the European winter. It has regularly hosted international paragliding competitions, including the Paragliding World Cup and FAI World Championships.

Many guides and schools from the USA and Europe take groups to Roldanillo and other sites in the Cauca Valley in the peak season months of January and February.

For now, however, Lucho said it was too early to know what impact the earthquake will have on the coming season.

“For sure the town will need us to come and spend money there, but we need to wait and see if they will be ready to accommodate so many people,” he said.

He added that he had heard some hotels may be unable to receive guests for a considerable period.

For the moment, the priority remains helping local families through the immediate aftermath and beginning the long process of rebuilding.

To support the Roldanillo and Valle del Cauca earthquake pilot appeal: GoFundMe – gofund.me/df0f39998

Pilots in the USA can donate via the Cloudbase Foundation, a 501c3 (non-profit) organisation