Belfast-based Alejandra Arcila (28) became aware that a 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit her home country from her brother’s text message on Monday afternoon from where all of her family live.She immediately rang her mother, finding her parents in shock at what had happened. They live in a city called Armenia, a coffee region, and lived through the last earthquake which destroyed the city in 1999.“A lot of their emotional wellbeing is also really, really affected ... even though it’s a common occurrence, sadly for us. But never of this magnitude.”She came to Ireland in 2020 and lives in Belfast. On Monday night, she was able to contact more of her family who live in Pareira which she was one of the most badly affected cities.“It’s probably the worst fear of anybody who migrates ... it’s always that fear of how soon can I get home?” She said it was a “very, very stressful situation”.She said her parents told her they were going to look for her grandmother but could only update her that her family were all safe hours later.Alejandra Arcila who lives in Belfast but is from Colombia. She said during this time she was “just sitting and waiting on the edge”, adding that it was emotionally draining.“Living through the aftermath of all these disasters that is completely heartbreaking ... lots of people, their whole lives changed. “For those that maybe even just lost material things, it’s still everything that you’ve worked for your whole life, and then it’s gone, and where do you even start?”There are “lots of cracks” at her parents’ home, but they have been able to move back in. Her brother could not return to his home due to the damage and he is staying with his parents.She said they have no water, but her mother has some on reserve. Electricity returned on Monday evening to the area. She said people are used to evacuating in the city. “When I was little, this was something we did so often.”[ Colombia rescue efforts continue as earthquake death toll passes 160Opens in new window ]Arcila said people remain on edge as the aftershocks have not hit yet. “Everybody knows this happens. But it hasn’t happened, so everybody’s on the edge waiting.”She added that her friend’s family slept in a car park as it didn’t seem safe to return to their home.She said there is very little information on some areas such as Choco, the epicentre of the earthquake. “It’s already a region where there’s big poverty,” she said, adding that there are “vulnerable communities” there.Alejandro Gutierrez (44) said his family live in the cities most damaged by the earthquake: Manizales, Cali and Pereira. He has lived in Dublin for nine years and is married with two children.He said his family is safe but there is damage to their homes adding that some are staying with other family members as they cannot return to their own homes.Rubble is removed from the street as people search for survivors in Cali, Colombia, on Monday. Photograph: Federico Rios/The New York Times