For Colombians living in Durango, the earthquake that shook different areas of Colombia meant a morning of uncertainty, with family members and friends on the other side of the border and the need to confirm that they were safe.
Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Herrera, a Colombian who has lived in Durango for nearly ten years, said that the first thing he did after learning about the earthquake was contact his family.
“The first thing we did was try to contact our families in Colombia. Thank God, fortunately, everyone is fine,” he confirmed.
Although his family members and acquaintances were not affected, he explained that concern increased after reports of damage in other regions of the country, particularly in the central and southern areas.
“There is always that risk of being far from home, right? Knowing that anything can happen, and in this case, these are natural phenomena that you cannot control. Honestly, you feel somewhat helpless in the face of the situation.”
Rodríguez Herrera is originally from Tunja, in the department of Boyacá, a city located in central Colombia. From Durango, he maintains frequent contact with relatives, friends, and coworkers in Colombia, a country he also visits regularly because of his professional work related to puppet theater.
He explained that, according to the reports he had reviewed, Bogotá was apparently not affected, while the earthquake was felt more strongly in regions such as Pereira and Manizales.
“Yes, in the central and southern area, particularly Pereira and Manizales, it was felt very strongly,” he said.
Andrés, another Colombian living in Durango, also expressed his concern after the news spread and immediately contacted family and friends to find out if they were safe. Fortunately, the area where they live is far from the earthquake’s epicenter.
“This morning I have been contacting all my best friends who live there. We also have family there. My brother and I live here in Mexico, but our father is there. Fortunately, everything is fine.”
Rodríguez Herrera explained that Colombia’s geographical location means that different areas face different levels of seismic risk, although he considers an earthquake of this magnitude to be an unusual event based on his experience.
“Colombia does have areas where earthquakes are stronger and others where they are not felt, but generally speaking, Colombia is a region prone to earthquakes and tremors,” he said.
Andrés, meanwhile, explained that Colombia does not have a culture of earthquake preparedness as deeply established as Mexico’s, nor does it have digital or physical earthquake warning systems comparable to those in Mexico City.
“Not as much as in Mexico, where there are more drills. I remember that when I lived there, there weren’t drills as frequently. There have obviously been earthquakes in the past, but not ones this strong.”
Rodríguez Herrera arrived in Durango almost a decade ago and says he now considers the city his home. Although he maintains a strong connection with Colombia, his life is now divided between both countries.
“I love Durango. I mean, I already see myself living here permanently,” he said.
His artistic work also allows him to maintain a permanent connection between Mexico and Colombia through his work in puppet theater, participating in projects involving the exchange of artists and visitors between the two countries.
“Yes, we travel there very often. We receive artists and visitors who come from Colombia,” he explained.
Memories of 1999
Andrés considered that this earthquake was not among the strongest earthquakes in the country’s history. He recalled that in 1999, Colombia experienced a major earthquake that severely affected the country.
“In 1999, there was also an earthquake in an area known as the Coffee Region, and that one was much more devastating. There were many deaths, and the cities that were affected this time also suffered much more that year,” he recalled.
However, the current situation adds to the political concerns in his country.
“Yes, it hurts a lot and is very concerning, especially because it is happening at a time when Colombia is undergoing a change of government. It is not really an overlap because one government is from the left, and the change of government only happened a few days ago. So that is also concerning,” he concluded.
In Durango, the Colombian community remained attentive to reports and their phones, thousands of kilometers away from home.
Source: oem
