Colombia earthquake stops mechanical clocks in Antioquia

A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Monday, causing infrastructure damage and widespread alarm. In the department of Antioquia, residents reported a peculiar phenomenon where various mechanical clocks stopped functioning at the exact moment the seismic waves hit.

In the municipality of Ciudad Bolívar, the centennial clock on the tower of the Parroquia de la Inmaculada Concepción froze during the evacuation of the main park. Similar incidents were reported in Envigado, where a family's heirloom pendulum clock stopped abruptly. Experts attribute this to physics, noting that the intense vibrations from the earthquake disrupt the precisely calibrated mechanical rhythms and escapements required for these clocks to operate.