Bahamians Vacationing in Colombia Safe After Deadly 7.4 Quake

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COLOMBIA – A deadly earthquake in Colombia is hitting close to home, with Bahamians among those who felt the powerful tremors.

The 7.4-magnitude quake struck western Colombia Monday morning, killing more than one hundred people and causing widespread damage.

And while the search for survivors continues in the hardest-hit areas, Bahamians vacationing miles away in Medellín are sharing what it was like when the shaking started.

Bahamians vacationing in Colombia are safe tonight after a deadly earthquake rocked parts of the country.

For one Bahamian family, what started as a vacation quickly turned into a frightening experience.

The Fergusons had only arrived in Colombia Sunday night, but by early Monday morning, they were shaken awake.

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck western Colombia, with its epicenter near San José del Palmar, a rural community in the Chocó province, about 250 miles west of the capital, Bogotá.

The quake was felt across several major cities, including Medellín, where Ferguson and his family were staying.

Kyle Ferguson – Bahamian Vacationing in Colombia

“My whole family was still sleeping. It definitely did wake us up. And at first you just kind of wonder if it’s just the building, if it’s just something, some road work or something happening outside.”

What Ferguson and his family felt was part of a deadly disaster unfolding across western Colombia, leaving thousands of Colombians scrambling to safety.

More than 200 people have been reported dead, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue teams continue searching through damaged and collapsed buildings.

Nearly five thousand homes have also been damaged, while electricity, water and communication services were disrupted in some of the hardest-hit areas.

But miles away in Medellín, Ferguson says his immediate concern was making sure his family was safe.

Kyle Ferguson – Bahamian Vacationing in Colombia

“We know hurricanes. When it comes to earthquakes, we’re not sure what’s supposed to happen. If we’re supposed to stay inside, we’re supposed to stay outside. I guess it’s smarter now to be outside. So we’re just going to test on the temperature to see what that was going to look like. We looked outside, we saw a few people standing outside, but it didn’t seem like much of a panic.”

Ferguson estimates the shaking lasted between 30 seconds and a minute.

And his family wasn’t the only group of Bahamians to feel the quake.

He says another group of Bahamians, staying just a few minutes away, also felt their building sway, but they were safe.

And despite the scare, Ferguson says life in Medellín didn’t come to a standstill.

Kyle Ferguson – Bahamian Vacationing in Colombia

“It didn’t seem like people were overly affected by it, but I think it was still a conversation because some of the people on the tour talked about how they had family members who were affected, who they knew personally who lived in those parts of town.”

Now, with news of the deadly quake making headlines back home, Ferguson says no Bahamian officials have reached out to check on them.

Despite that, he says he won’t let the lack of contact dampen his family’s vacation.

Kyle Ferguson – Bahamian Vacationing in Colombia

“We’re going to continue on as we planned, and just continue to pray and hopefully that everyone stays safe and enjoy the rest of their time. Just don’t believe in living in fear. Obviously taking precautions and then being safe as much as you can.”