On the morning of August 10, Elizabeth was in her kitchen in the La Lorena residential complex in Pereira, Colombia, getting ready for work. Her mother and her older brother Carlos, who had a disability, were nearby. When the earthquake struck at 7:34 a.m., her mother asked where she should take shelter, and Carlos guided her toward a bedroom. Elizabeth opened the apartment door, hoping to keep everyone from being trapped inside, then realized there was no room left for her in the doorway with them. She positioned herself by the kitchen entrance instead.
Seconds later, a wall collapsed and the ceiling came down around her. She found herself pinned on her side, unable to move her arms or legs, with debris pressing against her face, head and hip. The air smelled of gas, and in total darkness she feared both suffocation and a possible spark that could ignite a fire. She began to pray, clinging to hope until rescuers eventually pulled her out alive.
The quake claimed the lives of her mother, her brother Carlos and her partner, Carlos Augusto, and destroyed the home where they lived. A month later, Elizabeth is slowly rebuilding her life, carrying with her the conviction that she was given a second chance.
To read Elizabeth’s full story, visit eltiempo.com.
Source: ‘Estoy aquí, soy Liz’: sobrevivió bajo los escombros del terremoto, pero perdió su casa, a su mamá y a su hermano (eltiempo.com). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: DFID – UK Department for International Development, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).