Pereira’s Matecaña International Airport resumed national and international air operations this Tuesday with the arrival of a Copa Airlines flight from Panama and another from Clic from Medellín, after suffering severe damage in the earthquake that shook Colombia on August 10.

According to airport management, “with the objective of safeguarding the safety of users and maintaining order within the facilities during this transition stage, airlines will begin operations gradually.”

The decision marks a key step in the reactivation of Risaralda’s capital, a strategic point for coffee region tourism and for business connectivity in central-western Colombia.

RELATED: Colombia Launches 3-month Subsidy Plan to Quake Victims Amid Criticism

Due to the damage suffered by the terminal, of the six boarding rooms only two are available, and only the ground floor of the building will be used, because the ceiling of the second floor, from which several sheets fell, has not yet been repaired.

Even the main facade of the airport suffered visible damage, with broken glass and missing metal plates. Despite this, the Civil Aeronautics (Aerocivil) approved the arrival of tourist flights to Pereira, capital of the department of Risaralda.

Conectados con el mundo #pereiraenvivo el aeropuerto ya está funcionando pic.twitter.com/rhtFHESSB7

— Pereira En Vivo (@pereiraenvivo) August 25, 2026

Text reads: “Connected to the world, the airport is already operational.”

Quake toll reaches 331

The reactivation of operations occurs while the country still processes the impact of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Colombia two weeks ago. The death toll rose to 331, according to the latest report from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD, in Spanish), which also records 4,439 injured, 240 missing and 364 people rescued.

Avianca will resume operations this Wednesday with three daily frequencies from Bogotá and, from Thursday 27, one per day from Medellín, “progressively increasing its capacity and frequencies until reaching 10 daily flights, eight from Bogotá and two from Medellín, as the airport infrastructure recovers full operational capacity,” the airline announced.

Latam Airlines Colombia will also resume its flights to Pereira this Wednesday, initially with two daily frequencies from Bogotá and one from Medellín, for a total of 21 weekly flights. The gradual return of airlines reflects a coordinated effort between the airport administration, Aerocivil and carriers to guarantee safe operations while reconstruction advances in the affected terminal.

The earthquake, which occurred on the morning of August 10 with its epicenter in the central region of the country, affected several departments and left a trail of destruction in infrastructure, homes and public services. The Colombian Unit for Disaster Risk Management figures show the scale of the humanitarian emergency: more than four thousand injured and hundreds of missing persons, while rescue teams continue working in the affected areas.

For the coffee region, the reactivation of Matecaña airport represents a fundamental step toward economic recovery. Pereira functions as a hub connecting the Coffee Axis with the rest of Colombia and international destinations, and its air connectivity directly impacts tourism, commerce and the movement of goods in one of the country’s most productive regions.

Authorities warned that the return to operations will be progressive and conditioned on the terminal’s structural recovery. Passengers are advised to verify flight schedules with each airline, since frequencies will increase gradually as the infrastructure regains full capacity. The two available boarding rooms and the exclusive use of the ground floor imply temporary limitations that the airport administration expects to overcome in the coming weeks.

Hoy 25 de agosto se puede ver como se encuentra la Circunvalar después del terremoto del 10 de agosto. #pereiraenvivo pic.twitter.com/jm0drOjwQd

— Pereira En Vivo (@pereiraenvivo) August 25, 2026

Text reads: “Today, 25 August, you can see how the Circunvalar is after the earthquake of 10 August.“

The reconstruction of the damaged infrastructure and the full restoration of services now become a priority for the department of Risaralda, while the country manages a disaster that has tested the response capacity of Colombian institutions. The gradual recovery of Pereira airport sends a signal of normalization for the region, although the human cost of the earthquake keeps the focus on the victims and on the need for comprehensive support for affected communities.

From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.