Survivors Escape Colombia Home as 7.4‑Magnitude Earthquake Strikes
A family from Colombia captured a video of themselves fleeing their house as a 7.4‑ magnitude earthquake rattled the region early Monday. The tremor, the strongest in Colombia’s 21st‑century history, caused extensive damage and claimed at least 132 lives, according to the Geological Service.
Liliana Pérez Ocampo, the mother of four, told BBC World Service that they initially mistook the weak vibration for a common commuter tremor, but after 30 seconds the shaking grew in intensity and a full earthquake unfolded. In the video, she and her family—plus two children at school—evacuated promptly, which helped keep everyone safe.
“At first, we thought it was just a mild tremor, but when more than 30 seconds passed and everything was shaking harder, we realised it was an earthquake,” Ocampo said. “In the end, material things can be replaced. The most important thing is life, and we have that.”
The incident highlights the importance of community readiness and swift evacuation in seismic zones. More on the story from BBC World Service.
