3.8 Earthquake reported in Puerto Gaitán, department of Meta

At midnight on Monday, March 22, residents of the center of the country reported on social media that they had felt a strong shaking in their homes and workplaces.

According to the most recent report from the Colombian Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at exactly 12:55 am this Monday in Puerto Gaitán, Department of Meta.

According to the SGC, the magnitude of the earthquake was moderate, 3.8 while its depth was shallow, less than 30 kilometers.

However, both the inhabitants of the municipality of Puerto Gaitan, like Twitter users, reported that they felt the movement of the earth with great intensity.

Although it has been classified as moderate, in social networks there is evidence that the earthquake was felt in other areas of the country, far from the epicenter. Some users reported the tremor from Bogotá, Villavicencio, Armenia, Tolima and Huila.

Fortunately, this seismic event He did not report any damage or injuries in any of the areas of the country where it was reported.

On the other hand, according to the SGC, this is not the only earthquake that has occurred in the country in the last 12 hours. In fact, this 3.8 movement in the Meta was the second in the period between Sunday and Monday, detected by the Geological Survey for 24 hours.

According to the Geological Survey, in the last 12 hours there were two other tremors in Santander and Meta, respectively. The first of these was at 11 p.m. on Sunday, March 21, in Puerto Gaitán, and had an intensity of 4.3; while the previous one was in Mesa de los Santos, Santander, with a magnitude of just 3.9 degrees.

What to do in case of an earthquake?

The main recommendation of the SGC to Colombians is “keep calm”According to them, a person in an altered state cannot react safely to a seismic event, while a calm person can think more about the situation and see the safest way to protect themselves.

With that in mind, the first thing to do in case of witnessing such an event is to seek refuge. “If you are in an earthquake-resistant construction, stand near columns, under a desk or in areas marked as safe, always away from glass or items that may fall”Says the Geological Survey.

Whereas if you are in an ordinary construction that could present failures or emergencies during an earthquake, “try to leave immediately, and during the exit monitor your surroundings to identify hazards during evacuation”.

Places to avoid: Elevators, being located under door frames or near an appliance that could fall on you, such as a television.

Also, if possible, do not forget that we are still facing the coronavirus pandemic in the country, so it doesn’t hurt to add a mask and antibacterial gel to your emergency kit.