A Northern California man described the terror of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on Monday, causing widespread damage and injuring dozens. Andres Martinez, from Roseville, was in Manizales, a city approximately 100 miles from the epicenter in San Jose del Palmar, when the earthquake hit.
Martinez was having breakfast when the ground began to shake violently. "It just kept shaking and shaking and shaking," he told KCRA. After about 10 seconds, he felt compelled to evacuate the building. "Everybody got out and it just got stronger and stronger."
He noted that the shaking, which lasted for roughly 30 seconds, felt more intense than the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake he experienced in the Bay Area. As the walls of his location groaned, Martinez was nearly trapped until a relative assisted him in escaping the crumbling structure.
Outside, he witnessed schoolchildren crying in their uniforms as the earth continued to move. The earthquake resulted in at least 111 fatalities and 87 injuries, according to Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella. The president declared an emergency to facilitate the allocation of funds for recovery efforts and announced his intention to visit the affected area.
"We aren’t going to leave people alone. They are in our hearts and we are going to tend to people with our full determination," de la Espriella stated.
MARTINEZ IMAGE:
DEBRIS IMAGE:
