Panic in Ecuador: Walls Shaking During Zmiros

Harav Tomer Rotam, Chabad Shaliach in Quito, the capital of Ecuador relates his experiences in an interview with Bchadrey Charedim." We were in middle of seudas shlishis. We had just finished learning a mamar in honor of yud aleph Nissan- the Rebbe's birthday. Suddenly the table began to shake and the building started dancing. We live on the sixth floor- the floor was literally shaking for an entire minute. It was scary what with all our children and our newborn baby. We gathered all the children and everyone in the house and went out to the stairwell, all the while mumbling thanks to Hashem for the miracle. Outside the building people were panicking and screaming. Things were flying and falling from the building.

I had understood right away that we were dealing with an earthquake. I could hear things falling. None of the residents of our 12 story building went out to the street. It goes without saying that as soon as Shabbos ended we received many phone calls from concerned parents as our area is teeming with young tourists.

A group of Israelis who had spent the past few days with us and had left for the nearby city of Montanita, the earthquakes epicenter before Shabbos called to let us know that they were ok and that they had been saved through a miracle.

There was no electricity in Quito and the streets were like Tohu V'vaho. We saw great miricales. There are 1,000 Jews in Ecuador – and not one was injured."

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!