COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A Cobb County couple who sold everything and retired in Ecuador had their home was destroyed by the earthquake that killed more than 600 people.
The sounds from a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Ecuador are still ringing in the ears Roy and Melody Sherrid from Kennesaw.
"It just went boom, and the lights were out," Roy Sherrid said.
The images of destruction are still fresh on the ;Sherrid's minds as they returned to Atlanta Friday.
They were in Bahia de Caraquez on the coast waiting on their retirement home to be built when the quake struck last weekend.
"We were afraid that a tsunami was going to come in at the town," Roy Sherrid said.
Once they realized that wasn't going to happen they were able to get back into town. They learned a friend and her son had been killed by falling debris.
Survivors were left to sleep outside and struggle to find basic needs of survival.
"There's no food no water no electricity they getting to the point now where they are just turning it back on, but these people are critical," Melody Sherrid said.
Aftershocks continued to terrorize the area. The death toll rose to at least 602 by Friday.
UNICEF aid workers are on the ground, but the Sherrids say the country is not getting the help it needs.
"The people in Bahia, Ecuador, needs water I need food and need medical assistance, medicine," Melody Sherrid said.
The couple are in contact with some of those still in Ecuador. They're raising money and urging anyone who can to donate through organizations such as the Red Cross and Unicef.
Cox Media Group
