A Greek restaurant owner living in Bogotá, Giorgos Sitaras, described the terrifying moments of the 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday morning, August 10.
Speaking to Greek broadcaster Star that afternoon, Sitaras said it was the kind of moment when you cannot move, the moment you simply freeze. He said there was nothing more terrifying to him in the world, and that it was the strongest earthquake he had ever experienced in his life.
Sitaras said he had been asleep when the quake struck and woke up suddenly. He described a shaking so intense that everything around him appeared to flicker, and said that when he got out of bed to see what was happening, he was thrown from side to side and could barely keep his balance.
National disaster declared as toll passes 111
The confirmed death toll from the earthquake has passed 111 and is likely to rise further in the coming days. Colombia's president, Abelardo de la Espriella, declared a state of national disaster in response.
The quake had a focal depth of 115 kilometers and was strongly felt across the region, damaging buildings and sending people fleeing into the streets in fear. Search operations are under way to locate people trapped under rubble.
Colombia's geological service said the epicenter was in the province of Chocó, on the country's Pacific coast. The US Geological Institute said no tsunami warning had been issued. The quake was felt as far as the capital, Bogotá, and reached all the way to the border with Venezuela.
Three children among the dead
The governor of Valle del Cauca, Dilian Francisca Toro, told the newspaper El Tiempo that three children were among those killed.
Toro said there had been building collapses in some areas and that people remained trapped. She said authorities were already on the ground with the Army, working to free those trapped and carrying out the necessary evacuations.
Damage reported across several municipalities
Toro said several municipalities had suffered damage. In Calima-El Darién, she said, three children died when a wall collapsed on them. In Zarzal, one person was killed.
In Buenaventura, she said there was extensive damage but no injuries had been reported. She said Riofrío and Calima-El Darién had also suffered significant damage, and described the overall situation as serious, adding that authorities were working to address it.
