At least twelve people have died as a result of the earthquake of 6.7 magnitude on the Richter scale that shook the Ecuadorian Pacific coast this Saturday.
The Secretariat of Risk Management of the Ecuadorian Government has so far confirmed eleven deaths in the province of El Oro and one more in the province of Azuay. There are also several injured.
The earthquake was felt in thirteen provinces throughout the country, although the damage is centered in Guayas, Azuay, El Oro and Chimborazo, mainly in cities such as Cuenca, Machala and Guayaquil.
In the city of Cuenca, according to videos published in social networks, some buildings collapsed, and in the city of Guayaquil there are several areas without electricity supply, as reported by the newspaper ‘El Universo’.
In the Historic Center of Cuenca, the facade of a house fell on a vehicle whose driver died, the first death confirmed by the earthquake.
In the province of El Oro, specifically in the canton of Machala, a two-story house has collapsed. Two people are trapped and three more have died.
The landslide was strongly felt in cities such as Guayaquil, Loja, Ambato, Zamora, Cuenca, Azogues or Coca. In Quito the earthquake has been slightly felt. Authorities have ruled out the possibility of a tsunami because the necessary conditions were not met.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has located the epicenter of the earthquake 6 kilometers north-northeast of the town of Baláo and 66.4 kilometers deep.
The Geophysical Institute (IG) of the National Polytechnic School of Ecuador has confirmed a 6.5 earthquake 29.12 kilometers from Balao, Guayas province. The tremor was registered at 12.12 local time (18.12 Spanish peninsular time).
The same organism has reported a previous tremor of 4.8 magnitude with epicenter at 24 kilometers depth and 29.26 kilometers from the town of Balao.
REACTION OF THE GOVERNMENT The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, has announced the activation of the Government on an emergency basis to provide the necessary attention to the people affected by the earthquake.
»There are injured people who are being treated in a timely manner in hospitals. There are houses destroyed in the provinces of El Oro and Azuay», explained Lasso.
In addition, Lasso said that the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing of Ecuador has been activated to carry out inspections in the affected area and »all the mechanisms of aid and support to the affected families» will be applied.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
